A lot of illnesses today are being associated with COVID-19 but the most recent one is the Epstein-Barr or EBV virus that has caused a 12-year-old Canadian Boy's Tongue to turn yellow.
According to a Times Now report, the boy who was diagnosed with EBV was reported to have had a history of sore throat and dark urine for four days.
He was then found to have developed jaundice, described to have icteric tongue and a 6.1-per-deciliter hemoglobin level.
This condition the 12-year-old presented prompted the doctor to carry out a diagnosis of EBV-induced acute hemolytic anemia, also known as cold agglutinin.
After the boy was discharged, he fully recovered and his yellow tongue gradually healed as the bilirubin levels went back to normal.
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Other than fatigue, the CDC enumerates other symptoms of EBV which include fever, enlarged spleen, rash, inflamed throat, swollen liver, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck and the infection usually occurs in people during their childhood.
Epstein-Barr Virus
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, also identified as human herpesvirus 4, EBV is part of the family of herpes virus. It is one of the most frequently occurring viruses in humans.
This disease exists anywhere in the world and most are getting infected with it at some point in their lives. EBV is transmitting most typically by means of bodily fluids, mainly saliva.
In its report posted on the CDC website, the agency also said EBV can result in infectious mononucleosis, also known as mono, as well as other diseases.
EBV infection usually occurs in people during their childhood. Typically, infections in children do not cause symptoms. At times too, symptoms cannot be distinguished from other mild, short-term childhood diseases.
Teenagers or adults are usually the ones experiencing the symptoms and they get better in two to four weeks. Nonetheless, some patients may experience fatigue for a couple of weeks or even months.
Other than fatigue, the CDC enumerated other symptoms of EBV which include fever, enlarged spleen, rash, inflamed throat, swollen liver, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck.
According to WebMD, like other viruses, this virus is not treatable by antibiotics. It added mono should clear up on its own in a couple of weeks minus the treatment.
EBV Linked to COVID-19
The study, Investigation of Long COVID Prevalence and Its Relationship to Epstein-Barr Virus Reactivation, published in Pathogens, showed that reactivation of EBV may add to the development of severe COVID-19 infection, as well as cases and symptoms of long COVID.
The World Health Organization's Jeffrey Gold, also the study's lead author said, they performed EBV serological tests on COVID-19 patients approximately 90 days after they tested positive for the COVID-19, comparing the reactivation rates of those who have long COVID symptoms to those who never had the symptoms.
As a result, Gold said they discovered that 73 percent of patients with COVID-19 experiencing long COVID symptoms tested positive for EBV reactions as well.
Co-author of the study, Professor David Hurley, PhD, also a molecular microbiologist at the University of Georgia said they discovered similar rates of EBV reactivation in the study participants who experienced long COVID symptoms for several months, like the ones with long COVID symptoms and started just a couple of weeks after they tested positive for COVID-19.
Professor Hurley explained, their findings showed that the Epstein-Barr virus's reactivation possibly takes place at the same time, or soon after getting infected with COVID-19.
Related information about EBV is shown on JJ Medicine's YouTube video below:
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Check out more news and information on Epstein-Barr Virus and COVID-19 on Science Times.
