Rare Complications From Chronic Mono
EBV is one of the most common viruses in the world.
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EBV usually enters a person’s body through saliva. When you first have the virus, you might either have no symptoms or develop the symptoms of mono.
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As we have seen, the symptoms and even complications of mono usually clear up after a few weeks or months.
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But, like other herpes viruses, EBV stays in your body once it’s there. Mostly, it’s inactive and doesn’t cause any further symptoms. In fact, you might not know you have it unless you have a blood test.
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In some people, however, it can reactivate and cause ongoing complications, some of which can be severe.
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Increased Risk of Cancer
EBV is one of a group of viruses known as oncoviruses. These are viruses that appear to increase the risk of cancer.
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EBV may increase your risk of:
- Cancer in your nose and upper throat (nasopharyngeal cancer)
- Certain types of lymphoma, including Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin
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- Stomach cancer
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- Soft-tissue cancers
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People who have had an organ transplant are more likely to experience EBV complications because they need drugs to stop their body from rejecting the new organ.
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The drugs do this by suppressing the immune system. A transplant can also cause your body to produce too many white blood cells, which can lead to a type of cancer known as lymphoproliferative disorder.
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Link to Autoimmune Diseases
Some research suggests there may also be links between EBV and certain autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).
Research suggests MS is more likely to occur in people with EBV and unlikely in those who don’t have it.
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Most people with MS carry EBV, according to Henry Balfour Jr., MD, a professor emeritus in the department of laboratory medicine and pathology in the department of pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis.
Experts have also linked mono caused by EBV with the development of ME/CFS in children, teens, and young adults. Symptoms of ME/CFS include persistent, severe fatigue, difficulty thinking, and ongoing pain.
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Precisely why or how ME/CFS happens remains unclear, but it often occurs after a viral infection, such as mono.
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Chronic Active Epstein-Barr Virus (CAEBV): When Mono Doesn’t Go Away
Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (CAEBV) is a rare disorder. It’s when you continue to have high levels of the EBV virus in your blood because your immune system can’t suppress it.
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You may have ongoing symptoms of mono and inflammation throughout your body that can affect your eyes, liver, vascular system, and more.
For some people, symptoms remain stable and they don’t need treatment. For others, symptoms can develop and worsen quickly and may become life-threatening.
Treatment with antiviral agents may help, but stem cell transplants may be more successful as a treatment.
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