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Separation of Immune Cell Subpopulations in Peripheral Blood Samples from Children with Infectious Mononucleosis
Published on: September 7, 2022
Streptococcal pharyngitis, infectious mononucleosis, or both? A diagnostic dilemma in pediatric pharyngitis
Kazuki Iio1, Horton James Lee1, Evridiki Fera1
1Division of Paediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, SickKids, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract:
Infectious mononucleosis (IM) is a common cause of pharyngitis in children, particularly among adolescents. IM is a self-limiting condition, and differentiating it from other causes of pharyngitis that require treatment is key to its management. One such condition is group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis, which can be complicated by acute rheumatic fever if left untreated. In this report, we present a case of suspected IM with a positive GAS rapid antigen detection test, highlight the evidence surrounding these two conditions, and discuss the clinical dilemma of performing GAS testing in patients with an IM-like presentation.
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