Infecciones por virus del grupo herpes. Síndrome mononucleósido

Infectious mononucleosis is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus and transmitted by contact with saliva of pharyngeal secretions. Typical symptoms are fever, odinophagia, cervical adenopathies and hepatosplenomegaly. Swabs characteristically show atypical lymphocytes. Diagnosis is serological and treatment symptomatic. Other viruses such as cytomegalovirus (CMV) cause similar symptoms (syndrome similar to mononucleosis). CMV is more relevant in congenital infection and immunosuppressed patients, where it can cause serious disease. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the standard diagnostic test in this case and it should be treated with antiviral drugs such as ganciclovir.