Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection (Glandular Fever)

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What is Epstein-Barr virus?

Epstein-Barr virus is a viral infection causing fevers, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands, especially in the neck.

Who gets Epstein-Barr virus?

The disease occurs worldwide in adolescents and young adults. EBV more frequently is acquired in childhood in underdeveloped nations, and therefore the syndrome of acute infectious mononucleosis is unusual in these nations.

No sex nor racial prederiliction exists.

Progression

The disease is transmitted in saliva (also called the kissing disease) and by aerosol. Some young adults may remain debilitated and depressed for some months after infection. However, reactivation of latent virus is only thought to occur in immunocompromised patients such as AIDS patients. EBV is the cause of oral hairy leucoplakia, Burkitt's lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, post-transplant lymphoma and immunoblastic lymphoma in AIDS patients.

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