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Involvement of adenovirus in clinical mononucleosis-like syndromes in young children

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Abstract

Although Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) commonly causes infectious mononucleosis (IM) or IM-like syndromes, other agents can be implicated. In this study, viral and parasitic screening was performed to determine the etiological agent of pediatric IM-like syndromes in 38 children. Adenovirus was the agent most frequently detected (47.3%), followed by EBV (31.5%) and cytomegalovirus (2.6%). Although the statistically significant difference between viral detection rates observed in patients who fulfilled clinical and hematological criteria and detection rates in those who presented clinical symptoms only (91.6% vs. 64.3%) indicates that hematological abnormalities are common in viral IM-like syndromes, the existence of syndromes of viral etiology without hematological criteria cannot be discarded. A further analysis showed an absence of lymphocytosis in adenovirus infections as well as a low number (14.3%) of EBV infections associated with increased neutrophils. These data suggest the usefulness of appropriate virological techniques for the detection of adenovirus in pediatric IM-like syndromes.

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Acknowledgements

In memory of Dr. Ana Martínez Gutíerrez from the serology service, a coworker and friend. J.A.B. is a recipient of a fellowship (FIS 00/3160) from the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias, Madrid, Spain

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Servicio de Microbiología I, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Celestino Villamil s/n, 33006, Oviedo, Spain

    S. Melón, S. Méndez, B. Iglesias, J. A. Boga, M. Rodríguez, F. J. Méndez & M. de Oña

  2. Servicio de Urgencias de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Celestino Villamil s/n, 33006, Oviedo, Spain

    J. L. Fanjul

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  1. S. Melón
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  2. S. Méndez
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  3. B. Iglesias
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  4. J. A. Boga
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  5. M. Rodríguez
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  6. J. L. Fanjul
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  7. F. J. Méndez
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  8. M. de Oña
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Correspondence to M. de Oña.

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Melón, S., Méndez, S., Iglesias, B. et al. Involvement of adenovirus in clinical mononucleosis-like syndromes in young children. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 24, 314–318 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-005-1333-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-005-1333-7

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