Rare Complications From Chronic Mono
EBV is one of the most common viruses in the world.
As we have seen, the symptoms and even complications of mono usually clear up after a few weeks or months.
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.
EBV may increase your risk of:
- Cancer in your nose and upper throat (nasopharyngeal cancer)
- Certain types of lymphoma, including Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin
- Stomach cancer
- Soft-tissue cancers
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.
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.
Precisely why or how ME/CFS happens remains unclear, but it often occurs after a viral infection, such as mono.
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.
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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