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Sometimes, when the body reacts to an infection, antibodies are made that have nothing to do with the germ. These are called heterophil antibodies.
This test looks for such antibodies. It is used to diagnosis infectious mononucleosis, a disease caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). About 1 week after the onset of the disease, many patients develop heterophile antibodies. The antibodies peak at weeks 2 - 5 and may persist for several months to 1 year. However, a small number of persons with mononucleosis may never develop such antibodies.
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