EBV...

I called the dr office today to see if the western blot test was back yet.  They still aren't however, my other labs were in.  I tested postive for EBV...   She asked me if I had ever had Mono.  I haven't (not that I know of)  however my first few months in college I was REALLY sick with fever, sore throat, and etc... It lasted awhile.  My mom always said she thought I had Mono.  I am really concerned about this.  Could this be what is causing my symptoms?  I don't have a fever, or sore throat or anything.  I'm very confused... what does this mean?  Also my sodium was elevated in my urine so he wants me to do a 24 hr urine sodium test.  
   From my readings I've read that the EBV is linked to MS and cancer in some way.  Is this possible?  Does this mean I am more likely to having MS and/or cancer??  
   Little worried here.... can anyone clarify?
  Thanks,
  skarey

[PlateletGal]

Do you know what your titer was ? It sounds like you could have a high IgG titer.. which indicates a past infection.

What are your symptoms ?

[gorbybelle]

from 'all' the reading I've done - EBV & lyme seemed to be linked - EBV can be activated by the lyme bacteria - lowering immune system - I am sure there are others here who will be able to give you some  good information - sorry can't be of any 'real' help

take care

[skarey]

I don't know what the titer was.  She didn't say.  She just said I've had a past infection.

I've had the symptoms since May 07 (lasted for about 5-6 months), then felt better, Now sick again starting March 09.  

My sx are:

Intermittent numbness in toes
Dizziness
All over body twitching (gone now)
Extreme body weakness (arms and legs..feel heavy and shaky)
Fatigue
Pain (all over pain... that comes goes and is at different places at diff times) Sometimes it is achy, sometimes crampy, and sometimes sharp, or shooting.
Ear aches
tingling in hands
Arms fall asleep REAlly easily
Brain FOG
burning in shins and tops of feet
Sometimes skin is painful
Neck cracking

I'm sure there is more that I forgot... It is a lot!  Everything is fleeting and isn't always there.  Comes and goes.  

I think the most disturbing sx are the weakness (can barely hold arms up sometimes), the dizziness (boat rocking) and brain fog.  These seem to be the most debilitating.  I can deal with the sensory issues.  

Any ideas as to what may be going on?? What does the EBV mean if anything?

THanks for you help!
  Skarey

[patsy10]

It is very common to have a positive EBV titer.  A large percentage of the population tests postive.  I would get the result to see how high it was.  Even if you never had mono you could still have had a mild case of it which would give you a positive test result.

My titer was positive.

I would not worry a great deal about this but I would get the result so that you know what the titer was.

[Hope75]

I think, not a professional opinion, that means you just have antibodies to it.  Just like you have to Chicken Pox.  Some people also have a positive TB test (we have to get tested for work) and they never had TB, obviously, they just show some type of antibodies.  If you were sick in college like that, its possible you have had it, but it is a common virus for people to get at college age, I think.  My boss's son just had it, but he ended up in the hospital with vomiting and could barely swallow his throat was so sore and swelled.  He's fine now.  

Or another note, my neuro tested me for EBV too but it was negative.  If it were positive, he said he would treat me with antivirals for it.  This is a COMPLETELY unorthodox treament, from what I understand.  Our immune system has antibodies and most doctors just scoff at those type of positive results.  If you didn't have some IgG titers to something, it would be abnormal.  He is going off the fact, though, that my symptoms are unexplained and perhaps, with no research to back this theory, viruses are attacking my system when it is down.  So, he would give me antibiotics.  I would bet that this does not work, lots of money.  I wish it did, but common sense tells me we have to build immunity to things and if all these blood tests are showing that my immune system is functioning in a normal fashion, then there is no problem there.  But, common sense has not diagnosed me yet either (so I am willing to entertain ANY ideas).  I have a diagnosis of chronic fatigue and idiopathic small fiber neuropathy - which means "not sure why she's sick, but she is" in my opinion.  I have flirted with the idea of going to an immunologist though, to see if any further testing can/should be done.  Right now, I'll see this Lyme testing through and take it from there.  

Oh, and the other tests he did on me were positive for HSV-1 (cold sore virus, never had one in my life), HHV-6 (?) and CMV.  CMV is akin to a cold type virus, so almost everyone spikes a reading on that as they have had it or have been exposed to it by the time they reach adulthood, but he said my readings were somewhat high on all three of these.  He called this my "chronic fatigue" panel/labwork.  He asked if I had a cold sore virus and I said never.  He was surprised b/c he said my reading was REALLY high on it.  I don't know why.  He did put me on Famvir, an antiviral, for a while a couple of years ago.  I don't think it did anything, honestly.  I think it's nice he thinks outside the box, though.  Sorry, didn't mean to write a book.  Keep us posted!

[Quixotic1]

You got good answers here.  To know any more you have to wait and see how high your titers were and which antibodies are present and positive.

Just FYI -  96% of all American's have a postitive EBV titer that indicates past infection.
Most of the infections are in childhood and are so mild as to be missed as anything other than a mild febrile illness.

Higher titers and the presence of certain titers (like IgM or the "early" antigen) may indicate reactivated infection.  The main link to cancer is in people whith a certain gene.  In certain tribes in Africa it causes Burkitt's Lymphoma, and rare males with a certain gene here can develop a lymphoma.  

Herpes Simplex I - Again more than 90% of all Americans carry antibodies to this virus.  A large number of them never have fever blisters/cold sores.  They can, and do, shed the virus which is the way most infants and young children get it.

HHV6 - Human Herpes Virus 6 - causes the extremely common infection called roseola - a high-fever infection of infancy up to age about 2 years.  Estimates are that close to 100% have antibodies to this virus.  There is some evidence for a role in HHV6 triggering CFS and multiple sclerosis.  It is hard to substantiate because there is no sizeable control group without evidence of prior infection.

CMV is also very common, but not as common as the others.  It is worst in immunocompromised people and if it is contracted before birth.

Hope - A member of the MS forum, Want to feel well!!, finally got her answers and relief from an Immunlogist.  You might want to contact her.

Hope this helped.  Quix