false positive mono test - no EBV or CM virus

[Nannersone]

Hi. I have been quite fatigued for over a month. No sore throat, but minor fevers once or twice.  Finally went to see my primary care doctor  last Monday. He ran a battery of blood tests and a urinalysis, and we did an O2 level check (98%) and a chest x-ray (fine).  Blood test for mono came back positive, which is odd, as I had mono 30 years ago. Went home, rested, per doc's orders.

A few days later the EBV and CM virus tests are back and both are ~negative~. The only other test that came back out of normal ranges was that my ferritin level is a little high at 176 (with normal being 13 - 150), which I assumes means I have at least a mild infection of some sort.

Is there anything else that would trigger a false positive blood test for Mono? Could there be another virus causing my fatigue (with brain fog) that could trigger it? (If so, what?)

My only other health issues are arthritis (not rheumatoid) and polycycstic liver disease. Last year I was having a problem with easy bruising, but it resolved on its own. Also was low in vit d last year and take supplements now.  Thanks!

[Nannersone]

Not in over 30 years. ;) And even then it wasn't horribly risky - I managed to get married and divorced within a few years. I don't have hepatitis and I am not HIV positive. Google is horrifically vague, as usual, which is why I came here.

No idea which test was run - the results were "blood test for mono = positive".  I have asked my doctor how this is possible and I literally have not gotten a response in a week. I have an appointment to see him next week and he had better have a damned good answer for not bothering to explain.

My working assumption is that it was lab tech error. Obviously I've got some sort of bug, as I've slept more in the last 10 days than I normally do in a month, and just getting up to go get a cup of tea tired me out.  Feeling well enough yesterday to go to the grocery store and actually make it in and then out with some groceries before needing a nap, and worked in the garden (watering, mainly) for an hour today before needing a nap, so that's improvement. (The sun felt really good, too!)  

Thanks for your comments, though!

[wantonjoe]

False positives for mono are not unusual, if the test taken is a monospot.
The more sensitive test is the EBV blood test, which tests for EBV VCA igM and igG antibodies. It appears you took this and the igM came back negative, indicating you dont have acute mono. You would likely have been positive for EBV VCA igG, as you have already had mono in the past.  

Google will throw up a handful of infections which can cause a false positive mono test. The only one I am familiar with is HIV, because I had my own scare last year  but tested positive for EBV. Have you had any risky sexual exposures recently?