False positive EBNA IgM and IgG antibody tests for infectious mononucleosis in children.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the reliability of the Monolert test, a new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the diagnosis of acute infectious mononucleosis (IM).

DESIGN

A retrospective laboratory and clinical analysis of 38 children diagnosed with acute IM.

SETTING

A suburban pediatric practice in Connecticut.

PATIENTS: Thirty-eight children (ages 18 months to 17 years) who were diagnosed with acute IM using the Monolert test during the period October 1992 to August 1993.

RESULTS

Eighty-three percent of these children had no evidence of Epstein-Barr virus infection on subsequent investigation. The false positive results of the Monolert test could not be explained on the basis of elevated antibody titers to either cytomegalovirus or Borrelia burgdorferi.

CONCLUSION

Monolert is a poor screening test and is of little apparent value as a diagnostic test for acute Epstein-Barr virus infection in pediatric patients.