title: Heterophile antibody positive, acute cytomegaloviral infection in an immunocompetent pre-teen: an atypical presentation of an atypical infection.
abstract: Mononucleosis and mononucleosis-like illnesses comprise a significant proportion of pediatric and adolescent infectious illnesses. By far, the most common cause of these illnesses is Epstein-Barr virus, which causes mononucleosis, and a distant second is cytomegalovirus, which is the most common cause of mononucleosis-like illnesses. This case provides an interesting juxtaposition of laboratory findings of an adolescent who was heterophile antibody positive but acute Epstein-Barr virus antigen-antibody negative. A subsequent immunologic assay resulted in a final diagnosis of an acute cytomegaloviral infection. This is, to our knowledge, the first such report in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Ross University School of Medicine, Miramar, FL, United States. Electronic address: Junaid.Y.Raja@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Junaid
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raja
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics, Miami, FL, United States.
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: de Quesada
mesh_terms: D000910:Antibodies, Heterophile / Q000276:immunology*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000910:Antibodies, Heterophile; D000914:Antibodies, Viral
keywords: Acute CMV; Atypical viral infection in an immunocompetent individual; Leukopenia of unknown etiology; Mononucleosis-like infection; Monospot test; Transaminitis of unknown etiology