This topic is awareness on Epstein-Barr-Virus, I'm sure many of us have not even heard of it, I'm one of them but research shows 95% of the population already infected with it. This is how it got started, few months back I started experiencing periodic chest pain, 2 weeks ago I was hit with various symptoms that pretty much place me in bed for few days. I consider myself a healthy person (Height 1.72, weight 68kg.)

Below are the symptoms.

*Extreme thirst
*Chronic fatigue
*Foggy brain - unable to focus
*Dizzy spell
*Anxiety attack
*Muscle ache
*Joint pain
*Sore throat
*Depression
*Blurred vision
*Swollen lymph node
*Fever

Looks pretty bad right? My initial research narrowed these symptoms to Diabetes, HIV and Cancer. Told myself to keep a cool head and drew my courage to face my fear. Diabetes and Cancer can be treated from early detection, at least there's still hope. HIV victims can also survive up to 30 years with daily medication but comes with a side effects, look at Magic Johnson, he is still alive and well.

After all the delays, I went ahead to make an appointment for full body check-up. Took 3 days for results to come back, it shows that I'm perfectly fine except my Uric acid is a little high.

HIV Ag/Ab screening - Non-Reactive
Hepatits A Virus - Non-Reactive
Anti-HCV (Hepatitis C) - Non-Reactive
Heart X-ray - Good
Lungs X-ray - Good
Urine test - Good

I was delighted and surprised for not contracting any chronic diseases but that doesn't explain my symptoms, so I began to question the doctor but he merely brushed it off as a mild infection that will go away with time. I started my research as not too convinced, after scrutinizing my report, I saw;

Anti-EBV-VCA (Iga)              -----      Negative <0.8                -----          My result - 0.83

Further research shows I'm a victim of EBV. Part of the herpes family that can be transmitted through saliva, sharing of cups etc. This virus will stay dormant for a long period of time till it's reactivated. I finally narrow the answer to my sickness, all symptoms matched.

This is not a chronic disease and currently there's also no vaccine and cure. Just have to live with it, one must keep a healthy lifestyle, excise, consume plenty of fruits with high antioxidant to keep this virus from reactivating. For those suffering from these symptoms, please get your blood tested, don't let the sudden bouts of attack take you off guard.

Cheers and stay healthy

Although this is an old thread, I'd like to point out some things.

TS's antibody assay is for Anti-EBV-VCA IgA, IgA is Immunoglobulin A. The IgA use in EBV diagnosis is not really for EBV infection itself, it's for EBV risk factor in NPC, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a cancer that has a significant endemicity in Malaysia's Chinese-ethnic population.

If you wish to test for an ACUTE, SUB-ACUTE EBV infection [the kind TS' post is about], the immunoglobulins that should be tested for is IgM and IgG.

Any clinic that sends out blood sampling to a pathology lab will suffice, just ask the doctor first if their preferred patho lab can do it or not.
But generally just ask the doctor you normally go to if it is even worth the effort.

And no, you cannot rule out NPC by just an EBV load/serotiter result. It is merely ONE risk factor in NPC.