EBNA antibodies are more useful than complement fixing antibodies in monitoring infectious mononucleosis patients.
Thirty-six patients with infectious mononucleosis (IM) were followed prospectively for both anti-Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (EBNA) and complement-fixing antibodies using the soluble EBV antigen (CF/S). Discrepancies in time between the two reactivities were found, due to the differences in sensitivity of the tests. It is suggested that, in clinical virology laboratories, EBNA and not CF/S tests be used.