Ask a doctor on the topic of General medicine

EBV virus - Epstein-Barr virus

January 11, 2021 | 45,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

Hello,
For about 2 weeks now, I have been suffering from mild to moderate sore throat. Last week, I started feeling very weak, which is why I went to the doctor. He diagnosed me with a bacterial throat infection and prescribed me an antibiotic. However, he also mentioned that if the symptoms do not go away with the antibiotic, it is likely to be infectious mononucleosis (EBV). I have been taking the antibiotic since Friday. My sore throat has only slightly improved and my tonsils are still pus-filled. However, the weakness is almost gone. My question is whether the antibiotic is working because my weakness is gone, but the sore throat is still there, or if I have indeed been infected with EBV. My lymph nodes are also swollen, but I do not have a fever or anything similar.
I would appreciate a response.
Kind regards,
Ella Neu

Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

Good day,

From a distance, it is of course not possible to say for certain whether it was only the inadequate antibiotic treatment, or if it is indeed infectious mononucleosis, which I would rather assume. If it were a bacterial infection, the symptoms should have subsided by now. However, there are also resistant bacteria, so the lack of response to therapy does not prove mononucleosis.

Therefore, I ask you to request a blood test and determination of mononucleosis antibodies in the blood from your doctor. If you do have mononucleosis, an ultrasound of the spleen will also be necessary, as its size will determine when you can return to physical activity.

Under no circumstances should you wait it out, and please do not go to work either.

I wish you all the best!

Sincerely, Dr. Gehring