Epstein-Barr virus is responsible for which condition?

• A. Mononucleosis
• B. The most common cause of pharyngitis
• C. Most teenage cases of pharyngitis
• D. Viral pharyngitis in young children

Answer: (A)

Epstein-Barr virus is the classic cause of infectious mononucleosis. This illness typically presents in teens or young adults with fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and fatigue; many cases show a positive heterophile (monospot) antibody test and may have atypical lymphocytes on the blood smear. EBV is transmitted mainly through saliva and can cause splenomegaly, so clinicians watch for splenic complication in the acute period.

Among the options, the statement that EBV is responsible for mononucleosis best fits the well-known association between Epstein-Barr virus and that clinical syndrome. While EBV can cause sore throat, it is not the most common cause of pharyngitis overall (group A Streptococcus is more common in teens), and EBV is not the typical cause of viral pharyngitis in young children.