Question
How should pediatric EBV be treated? My son is two and a half years old, and on November 26th, he had a fever due to a cold. His throat was red and swollen, so he received intravenous antibiotics at the outpatient clinic. Since the fever persisted, a blood test on the 28th showed an abnormal lymphocyte count of 5%, leading to a suspected diagnosis of EBV. He was then hospitalized. Starting from the 29th, two doses of immunoglobulin were added daily. Is this method feasible? Can this virus cause other diseases? I am eagerly awaiting your response! Thank you!!!
Answer
EBV is a slow virus that can cause infectious mononucleosis in pediatrics. In our country, the positive rate of EBV lgG antibodies in children aged 3 to 5 years is over 90%. If the child is currently ill with EBV, their lgM antibodies will be positive, and antiviral treatment should be administered. Severe infections can lead to myocardial damage, severe hepatitis, and viral encephalitis. Commonly used medications include ganciclovir and interferons, but they are not curative drugs. The recognized drug is ganciclovir, but it can have certain effects on liver function and white blood cells, so it should be used in combination with clinical judgment.