Mononucleosis in Low-Risk Patient Prompting Additional Infectious Disease Screening
Case at a Glance
A 22-year-old female patient hospitalized with confirmed mononucleosis expressed significant anxiety when additional HIV and hepatitis screening was ordered, despite reporting no traditional risk factors for these infections.
Patient's Story
The patient presented with symptoms consistent with mononucleosis and was subsequently hospitalized for several days. She reported gradual improvement with returning appetite. The patient denied any history of sexual contact, intimate kissing, or intravenous drug use. Her only potential exposure risks included recent participation in judo classes where minor bleeding occurred and multiple recent blood draws for medical testing. She expressed confusion about contracting mono given her limited intimate contact history.
Initial Assessment
Patient admitted with confirmed mononucleosis via laboratory testing. Clinical presentation required hospitalization for supportive care. Previous medical history notable for iron deficiency anemia detected in April with otherwise normal laboratory values.
The Diagnostic Journey
Following confirmed mononucleosis diagnosis, the treating physicians ordered additional screening tests for HIV and hepatitis B/C. This decision likely stemmed from standard screening protocols, potential liver function abnormalities commonly seen with mono, or quality measure requirements for infectious disease screening in hospitalized patients.
Final Diagnosis
Primary diagnosis: Infectious mononucleosis. Additional screening tests were ordered as part of comprehensive care rather than due to specific clinical suspicion of co-infection.
Treatment Plan
Supportive care for mononucleosis with gradual clinical improvement noted. Patient education provided regarding transmission routes of mononucleosis and rationale for additional screening tests to alleviate anxiety.
Outcome and Follow-up
Patient showed clinical improvement with returning appetite and overall recovery from mononucleosis. Additional screening results pending at time of case documentation. Patient counseling provided regarding low risk for additional infections and standard nature of screening protocols.