Epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of infectious mononucleosis associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection in children in Beijing, China

Abstract

the incidence of EBV-IM peaked in children at age of 4 to 6 years in Northern China. Most of the patients had the classic triad of fever, lymphadenopathy and pharyngitis. Clinical symptoms, signs, laboratory findings and complications of patients varied with ages.

The levels of liver enzymes and atypical lymphocytes are higher in youth patients with infectious mononucleosis than in preschool children

“…In the USA, there is about 500 IM patients per 100,000 persons per year and the most of the patients are aged 15 to 24 years old 5. A retrospective study enrolled 418 hospitalized patients with IM younger than 18 years old in Beijing found that the incidence of IM peaked in children aged from 4 to 6 years 6. This was coincident with the study in Taiwan in 2005 7.…”

Antibiotic Induced Cutaneous Rash in Infectious Mononucleosis: Overview of the Literature

“…Less common clinical symptoms were also described such as erythema multiforme-like and herpetiform lesions, urticaria, petechiae, transient cold urticaria, immune-related thrombocytopenic purpura, erythema nodosum or pedunculated papule on the tongue. Palatal petechiae or bilateral upper eyelid edema can be helpful diagnostically [23][24][25]. Studies in the literature report on the clinical evaluation of the skin rash and rarely on skin biopsy.…”

Epstein-Barr Virus Associated Infectious Diseases in Children

“…In the United States, the peak age is between 15 and 24 years old [4] . But in China, the peak incidence occurred at age of 4 to 6 years [5] . These differences may be related to lifestyle, population density, and levels of hygiene.…”

“…IM is recognized as the typical clinical syndrome of primary EBV infection, which presents with the triad of fever, pharyngitis, cervical adenopathy, and other various manifestations such as hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, rash, puffy eyelid. A study from China reported that 75.6% of the patients with EBV-IM presented with fever, lymphadenopathy, and pharyngitis [5] . And it also suggest that the incidences of hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and rash were higher in the infantile group than in the older groups, but tonsillopharyngitis and liver function impairments are more common in older children.…”

“…The sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of IM in older children and young adult respectively 75% and 92% [8] , but in younger children the rate of atypical lymphocytosis (>10%) was lower, only 41.8-51.9% [5,9] . Primary EBV infection also can induces the activity of a heterogeneous group of circulating heterophile (IgM) antibodies directed against viral antigens that cross-react with antigens found on sheep and horse red cells.…”