Infectious mononucleosis, sometimes called "The Kissing Disease" because it is often transmitted by intimate contact between partners, is an illness caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. Individuals first experience symptoms lasting between one and three days including a sudden loss of energy and a general feeling of malaise, accompanied by chills, a sore throat and fever of between 102 and 104 degrees F.
What usually motivates people to see their doctor is increasing pain and redness of the throat, with a white coating on the tonsils and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. For an infectious mononucleosis diagnosis, the healthcare praticitioner often checks the patient to see if there is an enlargement and swelling of the spleen and liver. A small percentage of people suffering from Infectious Mononucleosis also develop a red rash similar to measles, another tell-tale sign in the diagnosis process.
The mononucleosis spot test, also called the mono test, is the main testing done to help determine if heterophile antibodies are evident in the body. This test is usually done in concert with a CBC (complete blood count).
The test consists of a small vial of blood being drawn from the patient, either from the back of the hand or inside the elbow. The blood is then tested for the presence of heterophile antibodies which is a surefire diagnosis that the patient does indeed have Infectious Mononeucleosis.
This test can, however, render a false-positive in people who already suffer from leukemia, hepatitis, rubella, or lupus. The test can also indicate a false-positive if the Epstein-Barr virus has been in a person's system less than two weeks. In the event a doctor suspects that mononucleosis does exist yet the test reads positive, the mono test is readministered at a later date.