Concurrent Infectious Mononucleosis and Acute Leukemia

Despite speculation that infectious mononucleosis could be an abortive form of acute lymphatic leukemia, four children under our observation developed both diseases concurrently. Infectious mononucleosis preceded acute leukemia by three months in one case and occurred at various times during hematologic remission in the others. A review of these and five similar cases, reported previously, suggests that infectious mononucleosis is an intercurrent illness which is etiologically unrelated to acute leukemia.