Epstein Barr level in blood test

[lauruzzi]

Hi everyone. I'm a 26 y/o female. I haven't been feeling right for about a year. I suspect it's a thyroid issue (hypo) and am finally going past my PCP to an endocrinologist. However, last Sept (2011) my blood test showed I had the Epstein Barr Virus in my system. I'm not sure what my level was back then. I resently had more blood work that I actually went and got a copy of that showed my EBV levels at 5.6. I was wondering if that was a low enough number that it shouldn't be causing symptoms.

What the test says about exactly is...
EBV Ab VCA, IgG- 5.6 (range 0.0-0.8)

Any thoughts of whether or not this level could be causing any of my symptoms? Also, is it normal to still have a level like this a year after EBV was originally discovered? Thanks!

[mkh9]

Yes most adults are positive for EBV IgG. The difference in TB versus EBV is that with EBV and TB you have have dormant virus or bacteria in your system but with EBV you won't usually get sick again but can be contagious to others when the virus sheds throughout your life, with TB if you have it you won't have symtoms until you get lowered immunity the bacteria can become Active TB and you will then get disease and can spread it to others. If you are healthy it is unlikely to get TB to become a disease.
mkh9

[Totie]

Most of the population will test posititve to EBV, it is just not ACTIVE EBV.  

They are correct, it can lay dormant for years....If active it will cause symptoms. I was diagnosed 4 yrs ago with it, but have very few symptoms. If tested today, I would still test positive for it.

I think it is also like TB, everyone will test positive for it if they were exposed, but NOT ACTIVE TB. I was positive for TB the same time I tested positive for EBV.

I don't worry about them unless I am showing symptoms.

[mkh9]

Well, how thyroid will make you very tired. My husband is knocked out on the couch when he gets low. Maybe that is all it is.
take care,
mkh9

[lauruzzi]

Well the tired thing is the MAIN complaint. But I have tons of other symptoms which seem to be more like thyroid symptoms. Low concentration, brain fog, zero libido, weight gain... ect.

[mkh9]

I guess I assumed because you were talking about EBV and low thyroid that you are tired a lot? I should have asked what symptoms do you have?
thx,
mkh9

[omar88]

Chronic EBV or lots say the ebv that stays for more than 6 months with multiple symptoms and with all other good blood tests may not be alone and this is the setaution more than 75% of the times ,,
dear lauruzzi you should start searching for other possibble causes of your illness before you just belive its just EBV and stay as you are and i meant by other infection bacterrial ones ( Mycoplasma Spp, Lyme , Bartonella, Anaplasmosis,babesiosis,Ehrlichiosis, Brucella,Chlamydia Pneumonia ) those is infection have been a reason of people suffering without knowing right cause and to let the doctor keep blaming patient for not having something or to tell them its Just EBV and you will get bitter soon and all of that because of misdiagnosing and that fr two reasons the doctor mistake , the lab non sensitive test cause each test of those should be done in special big lab with latest techniques.
I want you to chick this web site and have an image of what you tests you should run before you belive its only EBV or any other hepres virus like CMV or Herpes 6 and in that time you could start antiviral therapy ..
http://www.immed.org/

[mkh9]

Yes but I think it is a past infection. IgG stays with you for life.  Unless they did "acute" and convalescent blood draws about a month apart to see a rise in the amount of IgG then the IgG doesn't mean anything except you were exposed sometime in your life whether now or in the past. most people have Ebstein barr and Herpes cold sores (whether or not they show up as a cold sore) by adulthood.
mkh9

[lauruzzi]

No never had mono as fas as I know. I was just feeling really out of it and tired so my PCP sent me for blood work. It showed that I was positive for EBV.

[mkh9]

It clears up Herpes 6. It is not a herpes simplex virus. You may not have it but I was just bringing up the posibility. EBV is in the Herpes family too as well as CMV, but most people don't know or think about that.  Did you ever have mono? It is hard to treat any of the Herpes viruses since they get into the nerve cells.
mkh9

[lauruzzi]

So does the antiviral clear up EBV or Herpes 6? Cuz I don't believe I have Herpes 6.

[mkh9]

Well you were probably exposed to Ebstein barr virus a long time ago and it could be causing your symptoms. Once you are exposed to a pathogen (bacterial or viral) you immune system produces IgM first then IgG to have long term immunity.  Although, there is new evidence that Herpes virus 6 is actually the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome. It is hard to test for since it resides in the cells. But some doctors have treated with a strong antiviral and 9/12 patients have cleared the fatigue. EBV can cause some long term problems in very rare cases.

[lauruzzi]

Also, EBV Nuclear Antigen Ab, IgG was >8.0 (which was high) (range 0.0-0.8)