Infectious Mononucleosis in Children

ABSTRACT

We reviewed the clinical findings of infectious mononucleosis and performed Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) serologic antibody tests in infectious mononucleosis and healthy group. One groupwas 18 cases of children, diagnosed as infectious mononucleosis who had been admitted to the department of Pediatrics, Asan Medical Center for two years and eight months, from November, 1989 to June, 1992. Another group was 20 cases of healthy 5-year old children. @ES The results wereas follows: 1) The age distributions of 18 patients with infectious mononucleosis were as follows: nine patients were less than 5 year old and nine patients (50%)were older than 5 year old. 2) The hematologic findings revealed increased atypicallymphocytes in sixteen patients (88%), leukopenia in one patient (6%), thrombocytopenia in one patient (6%). In addition, we observed transient hepatitis in eight patients (44%) and jaundice in one patient (6%). 3) Hemophagocytic sydrome wasdeveloped in one patient who expired due to meningitis. 4) The heterophil antibody tests werepositive in two cases (11%) out of eighteen infectious mononucleosis patients. 5) EBV serologic antibody tests for IgM antibody to EBV-viral capsid antigen (VCA) in 18 patients were all positive, which implies primary infection. 6) EBV serologic antibody tests for IgG antibody to EBV-VCA and antibody to Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen (EBNA) in helathy 5-year old children were negative in 3 cases (15%) out of 20 cases each other, which suggests primary infection might occur afer five years of age. 7) Recently, more cases of clinically typical infectious mononucleosis are detected and the onset of EBV primary infection is becoming late in Korea, which is thought to be due to economic developments and improvements of environmental hygine. And we recommend EBV serologic antibody test for the confirmative diagnostic test of infectious mononucleosis.