Misdiagnosis of Mononucleosis
Misdiagnosis of Mononucleosis
Misdiagnosing mononucleosis is possible because the early symptoms of mononucleosis can mimic other diseases, such as strep throat, influenza, cold, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, lymphoma, and upper respiratory infection.
To ensure the symptoms are due to mononucleosis and not other diseases, some tests may be done, such as a throat culture and sensitivity test to test for strep throat....more about Mononucleosis »
Alternative diagnoses list for Mononucleosis:
For a diagnosis of Mononucleosis,
the following list of conditions
have been mentioned in sources
as possible alternative diagnoses
to consider during the diagnostic process for Mononucleosis:
Diseases for which Mononucleosis may be an alternative diagnosis
The other diseases for which Mononucleosis
is listed as a possible alternative
diagnosis in their lists include:
Mononucleosis: Medical Mistakes
Related medical mistakes may include:
Discussion of diagnosis/misdiagnosis of Mononucleosis:
CMV should be suspected if a patient:
- has symptoms of infectious mononucleosis but has negative test results for mononucleosis and Epstein Barr
- shows signs of hepatitis, but has negative test results for hepatitis A, B, and C.
(Source: excerpt from Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection: DVRD
Common Misdiagnoses and Mononucleosis
Sinusitis is overdiagnosed: There is a tendency to give a diagnosis of sinusitis,
when the condition is really a harmless complication of another infection,
such as a common cold.
Whooping cough often undiagnosed: Although most children in the Western world have been
immunized against whooping cough (also called "pertussis"), this protection wears
off after about 15 years.
Thus, any teen or adult with a persistent cough may actually have whooping cough.
This is particularly dangerous for babies too young to be vaccinated,
and any un-vaccinated children.
Whooping cough can be fatal to an infant.
The cough symptoms of whooping cough is usually productive initially, but then
becomes a persistent dry cough, lasting up to 100 days.
Elderly grandparents may also be a reservoir of undiagnosed whooping cough.
General Misdiagnosis Articles
Read these general articles with an overview of misdiagnosis issues.
When checking for a misdiagnosis of Mononucleosis
or confirming a diagnosis of Mononucleosis,
it is useful to consider what other
medical conditions might be possible misdiagnoses or other alternative
conditions relevant to diagnosis.
These alternate diagnoses of Mononucleosis may already have
been considered by your doctor or may need to be considered as possible
alternative diagnoses or candidates for misdiagnosis of Mononucleosis.
For a general overview of misdiagnosis issues for all diseases,
see Overview of Misdiagnosis.
» Next page: Undiagnosed Mononucleosis
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