Common Misdiagnoses of Mononucleosis

Mononucleosis, or mono, is considered a viral infection that tends to affect the entire body. The symptoms range from sleepiness and muscle aches to a sore throat and a general ill feeling. Most patients also have a low grade fever, loss of appetite and a skin rash. Though most cases of mononucleosis clear up within weeks, this condition can lead to complications that include meningitis, rupture of the spleen and even death. Therefore, patients should be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.

Proper Diagnosis Procedure

Most doctors ask patients for their symptoms, and then feel the lymph nodes near the neck since mononucleosis tends to make them swollen. The spleen, tonsils and liver may also be swollen, so the doctor may check these areas out as well. The next step is blood work, as a high level of white blood cells that look abnormal is often an obvious sign of mononucleosis. Finally, doctors who suspect mononucleosis will perform a monospot test, which looks for antibodies that signal an infection.

Misread Diagnosis

Strep throat is sometimes confused with mononucleosis since the symptoms include a fever, sore throat and swollen lymph nodes. The tonsils are also often swollen, with a coating of white or yellow spots, both of which may occur in cases of mononucleosis, too. However, patients with strep throat often have higher fever than those with mononucleosis. In most cases, the best way to tell these conditions apart is through blood work since strep throat is not caused by a viral infection, unlike mononucleosis.

The most common symptoms of influenza include fatigue, a fever and body aches, much like mononucleosis. However, those with the flu often have a high fever, and they also typically experience coughing and a runny nose, all of which only occur in some cases of mononucleosis. Most doctors perform a flu test within the first few days if the illness, as flu symptoms are common in other conditions, too. Therefore, it may be easy to confuse the flu and mononucleosis unless the proper tests are performed.

Lymphoma symptoms include a fever, chills and an enlarged spleen, similar to mononucleosis. However, many patients with lymphoma also become itchy and experience night sweats. Since most of the symptoms are nonspecific, most doctors perform blood tests and X-rays until they have determined the issue. Those who only diagnose based on symptoms, then, may misdiagnose a patient with lymphoma when they actually have mononucleosis.

Tonsillitis results in swollen tonsils, making it difficult to swallow. The throat is usually sore, and many patients lose their voice. A fever, chills and swollen lymph nodes round out the symptoms that could point to mononucleosis, too. On the other hand, many patients with tonsillitis also notice ear pain and headaches, which only rarely occur in those with mononucleosis. Many doctors note the symptoms and then perform the monospot test to determine the issue, but this can be misread.

Find a Lawyer

If your treatment for mononucleosis was delayed or entirely incorrect, resulting in complications, you may have a medical negligence case. Find a lawyer to represent you in order to ensure that your medical bills are paid for and that your doctor does not misdiagnose other patients.