Doppler, Venous
(not common)
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Doppler, Venous
The Venous
Doppler test checks the blood flow in the veins which carries the
blood back to the heart. This test might be called for to determine if
enlarged lymph nodes are preventing the flow of blood. "Doppler
ultrasonography uses audio means to hear the "swishing"
noise of the blood flow." [1]
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Epstein-Barr
"Diseases caused by the virus
are particularly common among people with reduced immunity.
For example, the virus is associated with ‘post-transplant
lymphoproliferative disease’, a tumour often found in organ
transplant
patients." [3]
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QUESTION: What is Epstein-Barr virus?
"It's a member of the herpes virus family; one
of the most common human viruses.
The virus occurs worldwide, and most people become
infected with EBV sometime during their lives.
In the United States, as many as 95% of adults
between 35 and 40 years of age have been infected. Infants become
susceptible to EBV as soon as maternal antibody protection (present at
birth) disappears.
Many children become infected with EBV, and these
infections usually cause no symptoms or are indistinguishable from the
other mild, brief illnesses of childhood.
When the first infection with EBV occurs during
adolescence or young adulthood, it causes infectious mononucleosis 35%
to 50% of the time.
Symptoms of infectious mononucleosis are
fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands. Sometimes, a swollen
spleen or liver involvement may develop. ...
Although the symptoms of infectious mononucleosis
usually resolve in 1 or 2 months, EBV remains dormant or
latent in a few cells in the throat and blood for the rest of the
person's life. Periodically, the virus can reactivate and is commonly
found in the saliva of infected persons. This reactivation usually
occurs without symptoms of illness."
Adapted from: www.cdc.gov
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QUESTION: What type of doctor should I consult for swollen
glands
when testing positive of EBV?
Your primary care doctor might refer you to a
hematologist - a physicians that study, diagnose, and treat blood
diseases.
www.findahematologist.org
To locate board certified hematologists, see Located
Doctors
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QUESTION: What is meant by Titer of EBV?
Titers is a
measurement of the concentration of a substance in a solution. It
refers to the amount of antibodies
made by the immune system to EBV found in a patient's blood.
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QUESTION: What is the connection between EBV and Lymphoma?
EBV is strongly associated with a rare type of
lymphoma, called Burkitt's lymphoma. It's also associated with
Hodgkins lymphoma.
It's not known if EBV is the cause of these illnesses, or simply an
associated marker. "It is proposed (not proven) that cellular
immune deficiencies, involving decreased cytotoxic/suppressor T cell
and/or natural killer cell function, cause these chronic illnesses,
and that elevated EBV antibodies reflect the underlying cellular
immune deficiencies"
ourworld.compuserve.com
"The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been implicated strongly in the African form, while the relationship is less clear in the sporadic form. EBV is associated with about 20% of sporadic cases. Rare adult cases are associated with immunodeficiency, particularly AIDS.
The lymphocytes have receptors for EBV and are its specific target. In the African form, the hosts are believed to be unable to mount an appropriate immune response to primary EBV infection, possibly because of coexistent malaria or another infection that is immunosuppressive. Months to years later, excessive B cell proliferation occurs."
emedicine.com/med/topic256.htm
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Resources
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About EBV
CDC
Learn how
past exposure, reactivation,
and chronic EBV can be identified by
testing.
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Kissing the Epstein-Barr virus goodbye?
science.org
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