EBV reactivation?

[deleder2k]

My sister which doesn't have ME (thank god) received some strange tests from her GP today:

MONOSPOT - 14 (<45)
S-ALAT - 18 (<45)
S-PHOSPHATESE, alcalic - 53 (<105)
S-EBV-VCA IgM - POSITIVE
S-EBV-VCA IgG - POSITIVE
S-EBV-VCA-EBNA - POSITIVE

Comment from lab (doctor): Possible unspecific reactive EBV-VCA IgM. Previously had mono (more than 6 weeks ago).


What can one do about a reactivation of EBV? I think she feels alright. Not 100%, but she is also to work. Been so for a few weeks.

 

[Snow Leopard]

Is your sister currently feeling ill with virus-like symptoms?

 

[deleder2k]

Nah not really.. She says she has been slightly reduced. Some signs of standard cold. A friend of her was diagnosed with mono a few weeks ago. She is feeling like crap. My sister and her drank from the same glass (as smart teenagers do!) a while ago.

 

[Violeta]

It's good your sister found that out, because once the virus is in your body it can be doing a lot of damage without your knowing it.

Two easy things she can do is take lomatium and echinacea.

This site has a long list of things that you can do, but it can be overwhelming. Maybe you can look through it for something or at least bookmark it for somewhere down the road.

http://selfhacked.com/2014/06/27/homing-fundamenal-cause-epstein-barr-reactivation/

Pau d'arco is good for stopping replication.

I am finding cistus incanus very helpful, too.
http://www.google.com/patents/US20110059190

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

My sister which doesn't have ME (thank god) received some strange tests from her GP today:

Comment from lab (doctor): Possible unspecific reactive EBV-VCA IgM. Previously had mono (more than 6 weeks ago).


What can one do about a reactivation of EBV? I think she feels alright. Not 100%, but she is also to work. Been so for a few weeks.

I am not sure why there is a problem? The problem with active EBV infection is that it makes you feel lousy. If your sister is not feeling lousy then I do not see any cause for concern.

 

[Violeta]

Yes, tell her to not worry about it until she comes down with chronic fatigue or an autoimmune disease.

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jir/2013/535738/

 

[SOC]

My sister which doesn't have ME (thank god) received some strange tests from her GP today:

Comment from lab (doctor): Possible unspecific reactive EBV-VCA IgM. Previously had mono (more than 6 weeks ago).


What can one do about a reactivation of EBV? I think she feels alright. Not 100%, but she is also to work. Been so for a few weeks.

I assume she's already had mono, so this is not a first infection...? If she hasn't already had mono, I'd watch her very carefully for EBV symptoms if she drank from the glass of a friend with mono. Her immune system may be perfectly capable of suppressing EBV.

I wouldn't be concerned if she doesn't have mono symptoms. Antibodies don't necessarily mean an out-of-control infection. It could just be that her immune system is putting up an effective fight, which is good. Keep an eye on her, though, and if she starts developing symptoms, then she might need to be seen by an infectious disease doctor.

Fingers crossed that this is nothing.

 

[deleder2k]

@Jonathan Edwards, thank you for your answer.

I'm not sure if there is a problem at all. I hadn't heard about "real" EBV reactivation before. Her GP said that it found was "strange", and that she didn't know much about it. That can scare a young teenager. Glad to hear that she don't have to worry about it if she feels alright!

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

Yes, tell her to not worry about it until she comes down with chronic fatigue or an autoimmune disease.

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jir/2013/535738/

Indeed, since everybody gets EBV infection, I think that is the right approach. She will be no more likely to get ME or autoimmunity than anyone else.

 

[deleder2k]

@SOC, thank you I am sure she will be fine. She was a bit stressed when her GP told her that she didn't know what to make of the results. She knows about the EBV ME link, but I've told her that is extremely rare and that there is no need to worry

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

@Jonathan Edwards, thank you for your answer.

I'm not sure if there is a problem at all. I hadn't heard about "real" EBV reactivation before. Her GP said that it found was "strange", and that she didn't know much about it. That can scare a young teenager. Glad to hear that she don't have to worry about it if she feels alright!

I think the GP was probably not very familiar with what these tests indicate. We all have live EBV virus in our B cells as adults - the virus replicates at a low level and maybe that goes up and down and maybe IgM levels go up and down with that but none of it is important if there are no symptoms.

 

[Tammy]

Some other things good against EBV.........L-lysine, cats claw and licorice extract.