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. 1974 Oct 12;4(5936):72–75. doi: 10.1136/bmj.4.5936.72

IgM Antibodies Specific for Epstein-Barr Virus in Infectious Mononucleosis without Heterophil Antibodies

J Nikoskelainen, J Leikola, E Klemola
PMCID: PMC1612132  PMID: 4370085

Abstract

IgM antibodies specific for Epstein-Barr (E.B.) virus were demonstrable in all but one out of 46 patients diagnosed as having infectious mononucleosis wihout heterophil antibodies; cytomegalovirus aetiology was excluded. In all but two cases the highest titre was found in the first sample. In 21 patients a significant decrease was seen within a few weeks. IgG antibodies to E.B. virus, mostly remaining at a constant level, were demonstrable in all cases. IgM antibodies to E.B. virus were found in only five out of 300 controls.

The results suggest that in a disease similar to infectious mononucleosis without heterophil antibodies testing of transient E.B. virus-specific IgM antibodies makes a rapid aetiological diagnosis possible and that in clinically well-defined cases viruses other than E.B. virus and cytomegalovirus are unlikely to be causal agents.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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