Is there a sickness or disease that would come up on bloodwork as positive for mononucleosis other than mono?

Question

I have been told that I have mono according to bloodwork and have had it for at least 6 weeks but the only symptoms I have that are mono like are extreme fatigue, loss of appetite, and fever. Could something else be disguising itself as mono? I have not been around anyone with mono so I am a little puzzled and am also not really getting better.

Answer 1

I see the typical "authorities" here have spread their misinformation. Doctors dont usually rely on the white blood cell count to make a diagnosis of mononucleosis. They perform either a rapid test (monospot) or else do complete antibody testing against a variety of EBV antigens.

Positive results on the first kind of test (monospot, or heterophil) might make your doctor say, if the symptoms are fitting, that you have mono. But that test does have many "biological false positives"- ie, conditions that make the test postive though you do not have the disease. Important ones are hepatitis or lymphoma. These can definitley mimic the lingering fever and malaise that usually belong to the commoner mono.

The second type of test (EBV serolgy) is more specific: hang on now as I'm going to get technical- take a breath, streeeech, close your eyes...shantih. Now, if the results on this test show "VCA-IgM positive, VCA-IgG positive, and absent EBNA antibodies" then you have mono. Period. But if the pattern is "positive VCA-IgG and EBNA antibodies, negative VCA-IgM antibodies, and usually positive EA antibodies" then you have had infection more than 3 months ago. BUT- if the pattern is "positive VCA-IgG and EBNA antibodies, negative VCA-IgM antibodies, and NEGATIVE EA antibodies", then you had infection a long time ago, and what you have isnt mono. So, I suggest you go look at those tests.

Now then, do you have mono? As has been correctly pointed out, you dont usually know anyone who gave it to you. The "kissing" business is only if you live that lifestyle- you can get it being a read drudge, because its spread as any respiratory virus. Also, your symptoms DO sound like what would be expected to last for 2-8 weeks in a typical case. If youre worried about something else, though, go get a full blood count, hepatitis screen, and a full physical.

Answer 2

Sorry to disagree,but arthritis won't have the same symptoms. You will not run a fever with arthritis because it is not a bacterial infection.

If the blood work came back as mono,this is the only definite way to assure that it is Mono. Trust your doctor unless you experience other symptoms not associated with mono.

Answer 3

RA or Rheumatoid Arthritis can disguise itself in this way. The reason why the doctor will tell you this is because of your white blood cell count. According to this alone, I had mono all the time, which was not the case. I have a low level of white blood cells, and that is normal for me, but abnormal for most other adults. Ask your doctor to give you a copy of your blood tests on different occasions, when you are sick and when you are not sick. Ask him or her to check your white cell count. You just may have a low, normal white cell count, and there is nothing else wrong with you.

Answer 4

Mono comes from the Epstein Barr virus. You don't have to be around anyone that has mono to get it. It can take a couple of months for the virus to leave your body. Just make sure you are getting plenty of rest and fluids.

Answer 5

Mono can stay around for many many months. It can act differently from person to person. Besides the fact, that once you've had mono, your test will always be positive. Go back to the physician and ask for further testing.