The absence of the heterophile reaction in the spinal fluid in infectious mononucleosis

The spinal fluid was studied in twenty cases of infectious mononucleosis provedby clinical picture, blood studies and serological examination. It may be concluded that in acute cases of infectious mononucleosis, the heterophile antibodydoes not pass into the spinal fluid, but that there may be an increase in cell count,particularly lymphocytes, and in protein content, which is not necessarily proportional to the cell count elevation. These findings have no correlation withcentral nervous system signs or symptoms.