Question
Over the past few days, a friend’s son has been running a fever of 39.8 degrees Celsius, often exceeding 39 degrees, accompanied by a sore throat and enlarged neck lymph nodes. Blood tests show an increase in lymphocytes, and the doctor diagnosed it as infectious mononucleosis. How should it be handled?
Answer
Infectious mononucleosis is an acute self-limiting disease caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, characterized by fever, pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, and peripheral blood lymphocytosis. Currently, there is no specific treatment, and mainly symptomatic treatment is adopted, with the vast majority of patients recovering spontaneously. When bacterial infections occur, such as pharyngitis or tonsillitis caused by beta-hemolytic streptococcus, antibiotics like penicillin G and erythromycin can be used. Some opinions suggest that metronidazole or clindamycin may also be effective.