Epstein-Barr virus infection is extremely common and often goes undiagnosed because many people have no symptoms or because the symptoms of Epstein-Barr virus infection can mimic other diseases, such as strep throat, influenza, cold, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, lymphoma, and upper respiratory infection....more about Epstein-Barr virus »
The other diseases for which Epstein-Barr virus is listed as a possible alternative diagnosis in their lists include:
Related medical mistakes may include:
Sinusitis is overdiagnosed: There is a tendency to give a diagnosis of sinusitis, when the condition is really a harmless complication of another infection, such as a common cold.
Whooping cough often undiagnosed: Although most children in the Western world have been immunized against whooping cough (also called "pertussis"), this protection wears off after about 15 years. Thus, any teen or adult with a persistent cough may actually have whooping cough. This is particularly dangerous for babies too young to be vaccinated, and any un-vaccinated children. Whooping cough can be fatal to an infant. The cough symptoms of whooping cough is usually productive initially, but then becomes a persistent dry cough, lasting up to 100 days. Elderly grandparents may also be a reservoir of undiagnosed whooping cough.
Read these general articles with an overview of misdiagnosis issues.
When checking for a misdiagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus or confirming a diagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus, it is useful to consider what other medical conditions might be possible misdiagnoses or other alternative conditions relevant to diagnosis. These alternate diagnoses of Epstein-Barr virus may already have been considered by your doctor or may need to be considered as possible alternative diagnoses or candidates for misdiagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus. For a general overview of misdiagnosis issues for all diseases, see Overview of Misdiagnosis.
Tools & Services:
Medical Articles:
Search Specialists by State and City
By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use. Information provided on this site is for informational purposes only; it is not intended as a substitute for advice from your own medical team. The information on this site is not to be used for diagnosing or treating any health concerns you may have - please contact your physician or health care professional for all your medical needs. Please see our Terms of Use.
Copyright © 2011 Health Grades Inc. All rights reserved. Last Update: 7 May, 2013 (2:12)
