A 5-Year-Old Patient Is Suspected of Having Infectious Mononucleosis

A 5-year-old patient is suspected of having infectious mononucleosis.The patient's blood smear reveals 55% reactive lymphocytes and a WBC count of 15 × 10⁹/L.The heterophile antibody test is negative.IgG and IgM antibodies to EBV both come back positive.What is the best explanation for these results?

A) When infected with EBV,50% of children under the age of 10 do not have a positive heterophile test.
B) The patient does not have EBV but acute lymphoid leukemia.
C) The serologic tests are false positive for IgG and IgM antibodies to EBV.
D) The heterophile test is never positive in children under 10 years of age.

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