Recognizing the spectrum of illness in Epstein-Barr virus infection

Infectious mononucleosis (IM), an infection caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), is a self-limiting disorder that is common in persons 10 to 30 years of age. Estimates are that more than 90% of adults worldwide have been infected with EBV.1 The diagnosis of IM is often made on the basis of characteristic clinical findings of fever, pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, and positive findings on a heterophile antibody test.