complications
Last reviewed 01/2018
These include:
- persistent fatigue – appears to be present in 9% to 22% of cases at six months after illness onset (1)
- hepatitis - probably occurs in all cases and abnormal liver function tests are usual (2)
- splenic rupture - in 0.1 to 0.2 % of cases (3)
- thrombocytopaenia
- haemolytic anaemia
- cardiac involvement - 10% of patients develop minor T-wave changes
- meningitis - benign
- encephalitis - 33% mortality of an 11 case series
- single nerve palsies
- Guillain-Barre syndrome
- depression and malaise
- airway blocked by pharyngeal oedema - rare
- nephritis - extremely rare and excellent prognosis
- pneumonitis
- acute interstitial nephritis (2)
- myocarditis and cardiac conduction abnormalities (2)
- neurologic abnormalities
- cranial nerve palsies(2)
- retrobulbar neuritis (2)
Infection may be fatal in males with the rare Duncan's syndrome.
Reference:
- (1) Candy B et al. Recovery from infectious mononucleosis: a case for more than symptomatic therapy? A systematic review. Br J Gen Pract. 2002;52(483):844-51
- (2) Mark H. Ebell. Epstein-Barr Virus Infectious Mononucleosis. Am Fam Physician 2004;70:1279-87,1289-90.
- (3) Pulse 2003. Latest thinking on glandular fever