From the Research
Clinical Presentation of Infectious Mononucleosis
- The clinical presentation of infectious mononucleosis typically includes fever, pharyngitis, and cervical lymphadenopathy 1, 2.
- Cervical lymph node enlargement is a characteristic feature of the disease, but the studies do not specifically mention whether it is typically unilateral or bilateral 1, 2.
- However, one study mentions "bilateral posterior cervical adenopathy" as a characteristic clinical feature of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infectious mononucleosis 3.
- Another study reports a case of infectious mononucleosis complicated with bilateral peritonsillar abscess, suggesting that bilateral neck swelling can occur in some cases 4.
Lymph Node Enlargement in Infectious Mononucleosis
- Lymph node enlargement in infectious mononucleosis can be severe, and may be the primary presenting symptom in some cases 5.
- The studies do not provide a clear answer to whether neck swelling in infectious mononucleosis is typically unilateral or bilateral, but suggest that bilateral lymph node enlargement can occur 3, 4.