Introduction
Pfeiffer’s glandular fever is a worldwide disease caused by the Epstein Barr virus. During the disease phase itself, typical symptoms such as inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsils, swelling of the lymph nodes and high fever occur. However, not everyone is aware of the late effects of whistling glandular fever, which can also occur after the relative healing of the viral disease. One reason for this is that complications and late effects affect only a minimal proportion of those affected. In Germany, the rate of infection of the virus at the age of 40 years is almost 100%.
These can be the late effects
The Epstein Barr virus infects human B-lymphocytes after entering the human organism. It multiplies in these cells and persists even after the disease has healed. Thus, the virus can basically break out again at any time or become chronic if the immune system is severely weakened and can no longer control the virus.
Furthermore, it was the Epstein Barr virus that was the first virus to be proven to have a carcinogenic ability. Thus, cancer can develop many years after infection with the pathogen through a series of meetings. But even just by going through the Pfeiffer’s disease, in very rare cases there can still be consequences in certain organs years after the outbreak of the disease. For example, the liver, spleen, brain or the immune system itself can be affected. In some cases, the fatigue characteristic of infectious mononucleosis is reported long after the other clinical symptoms have subsided.
Late effects for the liver
During the fresh infection with the Epstein Barr virus and the outbreak of the disease, liver involvement with enlargement of the liver may occur. Liver values indicating liver cell damage are elevated in some cases and confirm this disease process. A possible inflammation of the liver, i.e. hepatitis, heals without further consequences in the majority of cases. In the worst case, however, this can have late consequences for the liver, for example due to liver cirrhosis, chronic restriction of function or chronic hepatitis.
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