Do antibiotics work for tonsillitis caused by infectious mononucleosis?
Date First Published:
July 11, 2005
Last Updated:
July 14, 2005
Report by:
Helen Slee, medical student (MRI)
Search checked by:
Professor Mackway Jones, MRI
Three-Part Question:
In [an adult with acute tonsillitis caused by infectious mononucleosis] are [antibiotics better than conservative management] at [reducing pain and length of symptoms]?
Clinical Scenario:
An 18 year old male with known infectious mononucleosis presents with sore throat, anterior cervical lymphadenopathy, fever and tonsillar exudates. The SHO wonders if antibiotics would help?
Search Strategy:
Medline 1966 to June Week 1 2005
Embase 1980 to 2005 Week 24
Cinahl Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature 1982 to June Week 1 2005
The Cochrane Library Issue 1 2005
Embase 1980 to 2005 Week 24
Cinahl Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature 1982 to June Week 1 2005
The Cochrane Library Issue 1 2005
Search Details:
{Tonsillitis.mp. OR exp TONSILLITIS/} AND {infectious mononucleosis.mp. OR glandular fever} AND {antibiotics.mp. OR antibacterials.mp OR exp Anti-Bacterial Agents/} AND {conservative treatment.mp. OR conservative management.mp. OR (conserve$ adj5 treat$).af. OR (conserve$ adj5 manage$).af.}
Outcome:
Medline -no papers found
Embase-1 irrelevant paper found
Cinahl-no papers found
Cochrane-6 papers found-none relevant
Embase-1 irrelevant paper found
Cinahl-no papers found
Cochrane-6 papers found-none relevant
Author Commentary:
There were no papers found. It may be assumed that if a patient has infectious mononucleosis and tonsillitis, the infective agent is the Epstein Bar virus. Therefore antibiotic treatment or further investigation is unneccessary.
Bottom Line:
No evidence was found, follow local policy.