Significance of screening tests in diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis

Med Pregl. 2008 Sep-Oct;61(9-10):489-96.
[Article in English, Serbian]

Abstract

The investigation included 91 patients in who an acute or previous EBV infection was established by ELISA test. All patients were also subjected to the Paul-Bunnell-Davidsohn test, while 20 patients were tested by the rapid screening test Clearview IM. The diagnosis of acute infective mononucleosis was in 61 patients (67%) confirmed by the Elisa test, and in 12 patients (19.67%) by the Paul-Bunnell-Davidsohn test, while the rapid screening test Clearview IM demonstrated too low a detection of heterophile antibodies. The rapid screening test was not reliable. In 25% cases, the test was invalid, at early infection stages the rapid test failed to diagnose any case of the EBV virus infection. Paul-Bunell-Davidsohn was often negative, especially with young children. Therefore, priority should be given to virology tests based on the detection of specific antibodies to EBV antigen.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antigens, Heterophile / analysis
  • Antigens, Viral / analysis
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / immunology
  • Humans
  • Infectious Mononucleosis / diagnosis*
  • Male
  • Serologic Tests
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antigens, Heterophile
  • Antigens, Viral