my 12yo old has glandular fever and high white blood cell count and bad liver function. Is this more sinister?
Glandular fever, properly called infectious mononucleosis, is a viral infection, which can be proven by measuring certain antibodies in the blood (Paul-Bunnell test). It is transmitted by oral contact eg kissing, but is self-limiting, like most viral infections. Viral infections cause an increase in the number of one particular type of white cell, namely, the lymphocyte. The disease also has a temporary effect on the liver, hence the abnormal LFTs (liver function tests) in your child. Hope this helps. I would not worry as there are no sinister consequences of this disease, as long as the diagnosis is correct.
