As teenagers study hard for important exams, there couldn't be a worse time in their lives for them to be affected by a debilitating infection - and yet it is precisely this age group that is most at risk of developing glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis). A rapid diagnostic test from Thermo Scientific helps to provide prompt confirmation of this viral disease when young people, already stressed by exam pressures, begin to display symptoms of infection.

The Thermo Scientific Infectious Mononucleosis Kit, a rapid and easy to use latex agglutination test, is able to detect infectious mononucleosis heterophile antibody in serum or plasma samples within just 2 minutes. The speed and simplicity of this accurate and reliable test kit make it an ideal diagnostic tool when clinical and haematological findings indicate infectious mononucleosis.

In patients with symptoms compatible with infectious mononucleosis (fever, pharyngitis and lymphadenopathy, plus an elevated white blood cell count and greater than 10% atypical lymphocytes), a positive heterophile antibody test result is diagnostic and no further testing is necessary(ref1).

Infectious mononucleosis is an acute infectious disease caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EPV), a member of the herpes virus family. Although this virus can infect people of any age, the symptoms of infectious mononucleosis predominantly affect teenagers and young adults. Symptoms usually resolve within 1 - 2 months but fatigue may linger and chronic EPV infection may develop. EPV has also been linked to two very rare cancers, not normally found in developed countries, Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma1. It has also been associated with an increased risk of developing Hodgkin's disease among young adults within 5 years of heir infectious mononucleosis(ref2).

References:
1. CDC, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Epstein-Barr Virus and
Infectious Mononucleosis. www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/ebv.htm
2. National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Risk factors,
Hodgkin's disease. seer.cancer.gov/publications/raterisk/risks140.html