Mononucleosis Tests

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Mononucleosis tests are blood tests to look for antibodies that indicate mononucleosis (mono), which is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The antibodies are made by the immune system to fight an infection.

Mono tests include:
·Monospot test (heterophil test). This quick screening test detects a type of antibody (heterophil antibody) that forms during certain infections. A sample of blood is placed on a microscope slide and mixed with other substances. If heterophil antibodies are present, the blood clumps (agglutinates). This result usually indicates a mono infection. Monospot testing can usually detect antibodies 2 to 9 weeks after a person is infected. It generally is not used to diagnose mono that started more than 6 months earlier.  
·EBV antibody test. For this test, a sample of blood is mixed with a substance that attaches to antibodies against EBV. A series of tests can detect different types of antibodies to help determine whether you were infected recently or sometime in the past.  

EBV antibody testing is also done to help diagnose mono. The EBV antibody test can help determine whether you have ever been infected with the virus and whether the infection has been recent.

EBV antibody testing is usually done when you have symptoms of infectious mononucleosis and a monospot test result is negative. EBV antibody testing may also be done to check for antibodies to EBV when a person has a disorder or uses medicine that causes problems with the immune system.

Test results
Mononucleosis tests are blood tests to look for antibodies that indicate mononucleosis (mono), which is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The antibodies are made by the immune system to fight an infection.
Monospot test
The results of a monospot test are usually ready within 1 hour.
Monospot test
Normal (negative): The blood sample does not form clumps (no heterophil antibodies are detected).
Abnormal (positive): The blood sample clumps (heterophil antibodies are detected). If the blood sample clumps, you probably have mono. Other disorders that can cause blood to clump in this test include leukemia, lymphoma, hepatitis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Epstein-Barr antibody testing
The results of the antibody test to detect Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may be reported as positive (antibodies are present) or negative (antibodies are not present). Or the test results may be reported in titers. A titer is a measure of how much the blood sample can be diluted before the antibodies against the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can no longer be detected.
The EBV antibody test can also detect the type of antibodies (immunoglobulins) present in the blood. The type of antibody indicates whether the infection is recent or old. The antibody IgM is only found during the active phase of mono. The antibody IgG can be found later, when you are starting to get better.
The results of an EBV antibody test are usually ready within 3 days.
Normal (negative): The titer is less than 1 to 10 (1:10). A titer of less than 1:10 means that you have never been exposed to EBV.
No IgM is present. If IgG is present, it may mean that you have been exposed to EBV in the past.
Abnormal (positive): A titer greater than 1 to 10 (1:10) usually means that you have been infected with EBV at some time. But other disorders that can cause a positive result include some types of cancer, such as leukemia or Burkitt's lymphoma.
A titer of 1:320 or greater means that you have an active EBV infection (mononucleosis).
IgM is present. IgG may also be present but may mean that you have been exposed to EBV in the past.

Also you should know
Since many people are exposed to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) during childhood, most adults have EBV antibodies of a type called IgG. The presence of the IgG type of antibody does not mean that you have had a recent infection with EBV.
Rapid diagnostic tests for mono are not useful for children younger than 4 years.
Although some people think that the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may be related to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), experts have found no evidence for this. The monospot test and the EBV antibody test are not used to diagnose or monitor CFS.
Children, especially those younger than 2 years, are more likely than adults to have a negative monospot test, even when they have mono. This is called a false-negative result.

Reasons you may not be able to have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:
·Having an EBV antibody test within the first few weeks of becoming infected with EBV. This may lead to a false-negative result. If the first test does not indicate mono but you still have symptoms, the test may be repeated.  
·Other infection or disorder, such as cytomegalovirus (CMV), leukemia or lymphoma, rubella, hepatitis, or lupus. Although the symptoms of these infections and disorders are similar to mono, the monospot test usually will be negative.  
 
 
 
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All information on this page is intended for your general knowledge only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.