PEDIATRICS
IS THERE A CURE FOR MONONUCLEOSIS?
AUTHOR Wendy Daly, MD
Mononucleosis is the most common
illness associated with the
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It is
mainly transmitted through
saliva, coughs, sneezes and
shared utensils. Symptoms of
mono vary and can affect any
organ in the body. An infected
individual may be asymptomatic or present with aseptic meningitis,
encephalitis, cranial nerve palsies, myocarditis, optic neuritis, orchitis,
pneumonia, transverse myelitis or Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
Complications can include splenic rupture, fatal disseminated infection
or lymphomas.
The purpose of this article is not to delve into the cytotoxic effect
that EBV can have on B and T-cell lymphocytes. I would like to
present three patients whom I have seen and treated for mononucleosis
successfully with the medication EPs 7630 (PubMed) sold
under the trade name V/Clear. Two presented with fever, sore throat,
exudative tonsillitis, pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy and abdominal
pain; the other was a consult for chronic fatigue.
Nine years ago, a 17-year-old (I’ll call her “Emily”) came to the
office with a frantic mother. Emily had been diagnosed with strep
throat at an immediate care center and placed on amoxicillin. When
she broke out in a rash, she went back to the center and was switched
to cephalosporin. This was August, and Emily was headed to college
out-of-state in two weeks. She was obviously ill. She had a fever,
humongous tonsils full of exudate, enlarged anterior cervical lymph
nodes and tenderness in the left upper quadrant of her abdomen.
Her rapid strep test was negative. A Monospot test was positive and
her complete blood count (CBC) was indicative of a viral illness. I
followed my first impulse and put her on steroids and decided to
see her back at the end of the week. The end of the week arrived,
and Emily was not one bit better - but she was one week closer to
leaving for college. I had just learned about a product made from a
plant that stabilized cells and prevented replication of respiratory
viruses. The product was EPs 7630 or V/Clear. I theorized that if
12 LOUISVILLE MEDICINE