I contracted Mononucleosis some six years ago and have had reoccuring symptoms
including fatigue, sore throat, mild fever, and possible some short term memory loss. I have
done some reading on EBV (I should warn I am an electrical engineer, not a doctor or bio
major of some type) and there is alot of mixed converstaion as to whether or not EBV is
directly responsible or even partly responsible for my symptoms. From what I haveread,
Cronic Fatigue Syndrome can only be diagnosed by proving that it is not anything else. So, I
went to my doctor last time (1 week ago) I had symptoms and he ran a series of blood tests
and a throat culture (I had a sore throat and a low grade fever ~2 degrees above my norm)
which did not indicate any unusual bacterial involvement. Now, I am aware that at my age
(28), that an EBV antibody test is a waste of time because virtually everyone is positive by
this time, only to be compounded by the fact that I had already had mono. So, my question is
this: since mono (EBV) causes the b-lymphosites to reproduce in a cancerous sort of fashion,
could not a test be derived to check into my b-cell count to attempt to see if there is
currently any EBV activity?
This all stems from the statement of my doctor that he could not easily verify my
symptoms origins. Is such a test feasable? and would it be enough of an indicator to give a
diagnosis? (provided of course that I don't have some form of leukemia or other blood
disorder). I realize that there are probably many things that can cause an increased b-cell
count, but can you differentiate between healthy ones and EBV modified ones?
Just wondering.
Robert Weitkamp
stormbri at rain.org
