Today, I review, link to, and excerpt from The Cribsiders‘ #119: Epstein Barr Virus – A MONO-lithic Overview.*
*Engel S, Anosike I, Masur S, Chiu C, Berk J. “### Epstein Barr Virus – A MONO-lithic Overview”. The Cribsiders Pediatric Podcast. https:/www.thecribsiders.com/ August 28, 2024.
All that follows is from the above resource.
Summary:
Join us and expert guest Dr. IJ Anosike (The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore) to dissect the complexities of diagnosing and managing Epstein-Barr virus! From sneaky symptoms to tricky tests, Dr. Anosike provides insight on identifying and tackling this troublesome virus. Don’t miss this infectiously enlightening episode!
EBV Pearls
- EBV can be shed in saliva, even when patients are no longer symptomatic
- Use the “scratch test” to assess for splenomegaly – put stethoscope on the abdomen and then scratch finger along the abdomen’s surface – the quality of sound will become duller along the edge of the spleen/liver
- In most cases, antibody serologies to the viral capsid antigen is the test of choice for diagnosis. The presence of VCA IgM antibodies suggests acute infection while antibodies to EBV nuclear antigen suggest a past infection due to the timeframe in which these antibodies appear.
- Additional lab work to order includes a CBC and liver enzymes; lymphocytosis is common, prolonged illness may also be associated with anemia.
- Treatment with amoxicillin in patients with EBV can lead to a non-allergic morbilliform rash.
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