Gomez, MC; Nieto, JA; Escribano, MA

Hosp Virgen Luz, Secc Microbiol, Microbiol Lab, Cuenca 16002, Spain; Hosp Virgen Luz, Dept Internal Med, Cuenca, Spain

The results of three tests used for the rapid diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis (IM) were compared with those of Epstein-Barr virus-specific serology. The sensitivities ranged from 15 to 33% in children under 13 years of age and from 59 to 81% in patients over 13 years. The specificities ranged from 86 to 100% in both age groups. These tests have a poor sensitivity for the diagnosis of IM, particularly in children.