Abstract
Infectious mononucleosis (IM) is a constellation of clinical and pathologic findings associated with acute infection by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The classical diagnostic triad is pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, and fever. Symptoms usually last a few weeks; however, more consequential morbidities may occur, such as splenic rupture, myocarditis, and hemophagocytic syndrome. Disease manifestations can be fatal in immunosuppressed patients.
EBV is a human herpesvirus-4 with a genome that encodes approximately 100 viral proteins. The virus infects most of the world population, and infection is most frequent in underdeveloped countries. The virus spreads through direct contact with human saliva, initially infects oral epithelial cells or B-lymphocytes, and eventually hides in a latent form in memory B-cells. Primary infection is usually asymptomatic or causes IM as a self-limited disease. During acute infection, the virus replicates and expresses various viral-associated proteins, such as viral capsid antigen (VCA), early antigen (EA), and EBV nuclear antigens (EBNA). A host humoral response follows infection during the first week, with generation of antibodies against viral antigens. The host subsequently develops a cell-mediated immune response.
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Hadinoto V, Shapiro M, Greenough TC, et al. On the dynamics of acute EBV infection and the pathogenesis of infectious mononucleosis. Blood. 2008;111:1420–7.
Niller HH, Wolf H, Minarovits J. Regulation and dysregulation of Epstein-Barr virus latency: implications for the development of autoimmune diseases. Autoimmunity. 2008;41:298–328.
Niller HH, Wolf H, Ay E, Minarovits J. Epigenetic dysregulation of epstein-barr virus latency and development of autoimmune disease. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2011;711:82–102.
Vouloumanou EK, Rafailidis PI, Falagas ME. Current diagnosis and management of infectious mononucleosis. Curr Opin Hematol. 2012;19:14–20.
Anagnostopoulos I, Hummel M, Falini B, et al. Epstein-Barr virus infection of monocytoid B-cell proliferates: an early feature of primary viral infection? Am J Surg Pathol. 2005;29:595–601.
Niedobitek G, Herbst H, Young LS, et al. Patterns of Epstein-Barr virus infection in non-neoplastic lymphoid tissue. Blood. 1992;79:2520–6.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Miranda, R.N., Khoury, J.D., Medeiros, L.J. (2013). Infectious Mononucleosis. In: Atlas of Lymph Node Pathology. Atlas of Anatomic Pathology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7959-8_17
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7959-8_17
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-7958-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-7959-8
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)