Who Discovered Mononucleosis ?

The Discovery Of Mononucleosis

Who discovered Mononucleosis? When was Mononucleosis discovered? Is Glandular Fever the same as Mononucleosis?

Find out who discovered Mononucleosis on this page...

The discovery of Mononucleosis in a nutshell:

Q. Who discovered mononucleosis ?

A. A group of German doctors.

Q. When was mononucleosis discovered ?

A. In the 1880s

Well that's what happened 'in a nutshell' - but the discovery of mononucleosis is better described through a series of discoveries made by various medical researchers starting from the 1880s onwards.

So who discovered mononucleosis?

Who Discovered Mononucleosis?

Mononucleosis was first named 'glandular fever' by a group of German doctors in the 1880s. They named it 'glandular fever' because you get swollen glands and lymph nodes (part of your immune system) when you suffer from it.

In 1889 Dr. E. Pfeiffer was said to have written the first most comprehensive discussion and description of the virus.

But it was not until 1920 that glandular fever was given the name 'infectious mononucleosis ' by Thomas P. Sprunt and Frank A. Evans.

So when you ask 'who discovered mononucleosis?', it's worth noting that although the virus was apparently first described in the 1880s, the term 'infectious mononucleosis' wasn't coined until 1920.

But the story goes on...

In 1932, researchers Paul & Bunnell made a discovery which enabled doctors to diagnose 'infectious mononucleosis' more accurately. Then in 1964, a group of doctors (M. Anthony Epstein , Barr, & Achong) discovered what is now referred to as the 'Epstein Barr Virus'. They identified the Epstein Barr Virus as a member of the herpes family.

But it was not until 1968, when a laboratory technician (who was working with the Epstein Barr Virus) got infectious mononucleosis, that the link between the Epstein Barr Virus and infectious mononucleosis was made (discovered by Gertrude & Werner-Henle [ref 1]).

Category: Who discovered mononucleosis; Discovery of mononucleosis; When was mononucleosis discovered; Glandular Fever, mononucleosis

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