This 10 year-old boy developed massive tonsillar enlargement from infectious mononucleosis, that he went into acute upper respiratory obstruction, necessitating an urgent tracheostomy. Also, note the edematous uvula protruding anteriorly above the swollen infected tonsils.
Infectious Mononucleosis / Glandular fever / Kissing Disease
The Epstein-Barr virus, best known for causing infectious mononucleosis, or "kissing disease," has also been implicated in a number of cancers, particularly among people who have undergone organ transplants. In addition, the virus has been linked to several specific cancers, including nose and throat cancers, stomach cancers and lymphomas: cancers in the lymphatic system including the spleen, tonsils and thymus.
Detailed information on infectious mononucleosis can be found in this excellent article:
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)
Epstein-Barr virus is one of the most common human viruses. The virus occurs worldwide, and most people become infected with EBV sometime during their lives. In the United States, as many as 95% of adults between 35 and 40 years of age have been infected. Many children become infected with EBV, and these infections usually cause no symptoms or are indistinguishable from the other mild, brief illnesses of childhood. In the United States and in other developed countries, many persons are not infected with EBV in their childhood years. When infection with EBV occurs during adolescence or young adulthood, it causes infectious mononucleosis 35% to 50% of the time.
Symptoms of infectious mononucleosis are fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands. Sometimes, a swollen spleen or liver involvement may develop. Heart problems or involvement of the central nervous system occurs only rarely, and infectious mononucleosis is almost never fatal. There are no known associations between active EBV infection and problems during pregnancy, such as miscarriages or birth defects. Although the symptoms of infectious mononucleosis usually resolve in 1 or 2 months, EBV remains dormant or latent in a few cells in the throat and blood for the rest of the person's life. Periodically, the virus can reactivate and is commonly found in the saliva of infected persons. This reactivation usually occurs without symptoms of illness.
Otolaryngology Houston
Bechara Y. Ghorayeb, MD
8830 Long Point, Suite 806
Houston, Texas 77055
For appointments, call 713 464 2614
