10 Mononucleosis Symptoms
Symptom #9: Jaundice
Acute inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), can result in an abnormal enlargement of the organ (hepatomegaly). This occurs in 10% of adults with mononucleosis, and in 30% of infected elderly individuals. In most cases it can go undetected and resolve spontaneously. The mild to moderate hepatitis seen in EBV may manifest as pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen and/or, rarely, jaundice.
Jaundice is a clinical term that describes a yellowish tinge to the skin and the whites of the eye, and it is caused by a buildup of bilirubin in the blood (instead of the bile), a waste material produced by the liver. However, jaundice is not a specific sign of EBV infection. In liver enzyme tests, a mild elevation of serum transaminases is a constant finding in early infection. Clinical jaundice with high bilirubin levels (≥ 6.0 mg/dL] is only occasionally encountered.
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