Agranulocytosis following infectious mononucleosis

A girl developed acute agranulocytosis (45/mm³), 37 days after the onset of infectious mononucleosis. The bone marrow showed myeloid hyperplasia with maturation arrest and erythroid hypoplasia. A normal amount of colony forming units of granulocytes and macrophages (CFU-GM) colonies with a relative high number of clusters was observed. Neither anti-neutrophil antibodies nor circulating inhibitors of colony growth were found in serum. Granulocyte and macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) activity in the patient's serum rose at this time. The agranulocytosis lasted 5 days and her clinical state soon improved. These results suggested that agranulocytosis was presumably not due to serum factors, including auto-antibodies and/or suppressive substances, and that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) had some direct or indirect effect on the marrow cells of the myeloid series.     

Encephalitis in infectious mononucleosis: diagnostic considerations.

Four atypical cases of presumed infectious mononucleosis (IM) encephalitis are presented. To establish an etiologic diagnosis, Paul-Bunnell-Davidsohn heterophil titers (PBD), antibody titers to the antigens of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and oropharyngeal excretion of EBV were determined. Criteria for a primary EBV infection are (1) an antiviral capsid antigen titer of 1:160 or greater, (2) the presence of antibody to the diffuse component of the early antigen, (3) absence of antibody to the nuclear antigen, and (4) excretion of the virus from the oropharynx. Three of the four cases met these criteria; of the three, one did not have a positive heterophil titer. The fourth case turned out not to be IM; there was a positive PBD heterophil, but there was no evidence of primary EBV infection. Although the PBD heterophil is usually a reliable test to diagnosis IM, it is not always present in children, and it is sometimes nonspecifically elevated. Some EBV titers can be nonspecifically elevated as well; however, the above criteria are diagnostic of primary EBV infection.     

Profile of EBV- associated infectious mononucleosis

During a 5 year period, 33 children (22 males) were diagnosed to have infectious mononucleosis (M:F::2:1; age 9 mo-15 y). The common clinical features observed were fever (100%), lymphadenopathy (84%) hepatosplenomegaly (81%), tonsillar enlargement (45%), neck swelling (30%), upper respiratory symptoms (21%), epitrochlear node enlargement (20%), vomiting and diarrhea (1%). Ten children had complications; upper airway obstruction and hemophagocytic lymphohistocytosis occurred in four each and septic shock in two. EBV associated infectious mononucleosis in hospitalized children was found to affect mainly preschool children and had a favorable prognosis.     

Serodiagnosis of infectious mononucleosis in children

Abstract Background: Although anti-viral capsid antigen (VCA)-immunoglobin M (IgM) is the most reliable serological marker of primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, it could only be detected in limited cases of infectious mononucleosis in children. We analyzed anti-EBV antibodies by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a sensitive method for detecting IgM antibody and compared these results with those obtained by a conventional indirect immunofluorescence (IF) method.
Methods: Anti-Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EA)-IgM and nuclear antigen 1 (EBNAl)-IgG were examined by an ELISA assay in 180 sera from 70 infants and children with infectious mononucleosis, diagnosed serologically by standard IF methods.
Results: Although by IF, VCA-IgM was detected in only 37 of 70 (52.9%) of the sera from the acute phase of the disease, by ELISA, EA-IgM was detected in 65/70 (92.9%) of these sera. Among infants less than 12 months of age, EA-IgM was positive in 11/13 cases (84.6%) while VCA-IgM was detected in only 3/13 cases (23.1%). Anti-Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1-IgG was not detected by ELISA in the sera from the acute phase of infectious mononucleosis. Anti-EBNA was not detected by IF in about one-third of the sera during6–8 months after onset of the disease, whereas by ELISA, EBNAl-IgG was detected in 93.0%. Sera that were positive or negative for both EA-IgM and EBNAl-IgG by ELISA were observed in several cases after the patients recovered from the disease.
Conclusions: Although serodiagnosis by the combination of ELISA for EA-IgM and EBNAl-IgG was more sensitive than IF methods, especially in the case of infants and young children, several patients during convalescence and recovery might be judged as seronegative or as being in highly reactivated states.     

匹多莫德口服液辅助治疗传染性单核细胞增多症的疗效分析

目的 观察匹多莫德口服液辅助治疗传染性单核细胞增多症的疗效及对T淋巴细胞亚群的影响。方法 选取2016年7月至2017年6月收治的传染性单核细胞增多症患儿共76例为研究对象,随机分为常规治疗组和匹多莫德组各38例,常规治疗组给予注射用更昔洛韦抗病毒及常规对症治疗,匹多莫德组在此基础上加用匹多莫德口服液,疗程2周。分别比较两组临床指标的恢复情况及外周血T淋巴细胞亚群的变化。结果 匹多莫德组患儿热退时间、扁桃体炎消退时间、肿大淋巴结缩小时间、肿大肝脾缩小时间及住院时间均较常规治疗组显著缩短（P < 0.05）。匹多莫德组治疗后CD3⁺、CD8⁺水平较治疗前及常规治疗组治疗后下降（P < 0.001）;CD4⁺水平、CD4⁺/CD8⁺比值较治疗前及对照组治疗后上升（P < 0.001）。对照组在治疗2周后T淋巴细胞亚群较治疗前无明显变化（P > 0.05）。结论 匹多莫德口服液辅助治疗传染性单核细胞增多症有良好的临床疗效,并能改善细胞免疫功能,值得临床推广应用。     

Sensorineural hearing loss following acute bacterial meningitis in non-neonates

Objective : Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is an important sequelae of acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) in children. This study was undertaken to determine the incidence of SNHL following meningitis in non-neonates and its correlation with various factors.Methods : Children between the ages of 1 month and 12 years with ABM admitted in a teaching hospital over a period of 18 months were enrolled. Detailed history was taken, clinical examination performed and cerebrospinal fluid analyzed at commencement of therapy, 48 hours later and at the end of treatment. On discharge brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) was recorded. Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests.Results : Out of 32 children enrolled, 9 (28.1%) developed SNHL, bilateral in 21.9% and unilateral in 6.2%. Among hearing impaired subjects, 11.2% had mild while 44.4% each had moderate and profound hearing loss. Age, presence of vomiting, altered sensorium seizures and aminoglycoside usage were not significantly different in those with and without SNHL, but the total duration of fever was (p <0.05). There was significantly higher protein content and neutrophils in the second CSF sample of those with SNHL.Conclusion : There is a greater than 50% probability of the child developing SNHL if neutrophil percentage in the second CSF is 80% or more. Since the overall risk of SNHL is significant in children with meningitis, it is recommended that BERA be recorded in all, so that early intervention may be possible.     

Sensorineural hearing loss following acute bacterial meningitis in non-neonates

OBJECTIVE: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is an important sequelae of acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) in children. This study was undertaken to determine the incidence of SNHL following meningitis in non-neonates and its correlation with various factors. METHODS: Children between the ages of 1 month and 12 years with ABM admitted in a teaching hospital over a period of 18 months were enrolled. Detailed history was taken, clinical examination performed and cerebrospinal fluid analyzed at commencement of therapy, 48 hours later and at the end of treatment. On discharge brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) was recorded. Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests. RESULTS: Out of 32 children enrolled, 9 (28.1%) developed SNHL, bilateral in 21.9% and unilateral in 6.2%. Among hearing impaired subjects, 11.2% had mild while 44.4% each had moderate and profound hearing loss. Age, presence of vomiting, altered sensorium seizures and aminoglycoside usage were not significantly different in those with and without SNHL, but the total duration of fever was (p<0.05). There was significantly higher protein content and neutrophils in the second CSF sample of those with SNHL. CONCLUSION: There is a greater than 50% probability of the child developing SNHL if neutrophil percentage in the second CSF is 80% or more. Since the overall risk of SNHL is significant in children with meningitis, it is recommended that BERA be recorded in all, so that early intervention may be possible.     

Clinical picture of infectious mononucleosis in childhood

Infectious mononucleosis, described for the first time many years ago, is still nowadays a frequent disease in children. History, etiology, pathogenesis and immunologic response to infectious mononucleosis are described. The value and limitations of diagnostic tests are discussed. The differential diagnosis, prognosis and possible complications are outlined. Data from the literature are compared with results of our own experience with 35 serologically proven infections in children of different ages.