Vitamin D levels and monospot tests in military personnel with acute pharyngitis: a retrospective chart review.
PLoS One. 2014 Jul 10;9(7):e101180. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101180. eCollection 2014.
Maloney SR1, Almarines D2, Goolkasian P3.
Some recent studies have proposed an important role for vitamin D in reducing the risk of infection by assisting in the suppression of viruses and by controlling the inflammatory response. A low vitamin D state may have a detrimental effect on the immune system's ability to produce activated CD8+ T cells, and it may increase the inflammatory reaction to Epstein Barr virus. The aim of this chart review was to see if serum 25 OH vitamin D3 levels in service members with acute pharyngitis were lower in those who had positive rather than negative monospot tests. A retrospective chart review was conducted on the medical records of service members who presented to sick call at Camp Lejeune, NC with acute pharyngitis from October 8, 2010 until June 30, 2011. Serum 25 OH vitamin D3 levels were compared between those with positive and negative monospot test results. Of the 25 records that were reviewed, there were 9 (36%) service members with positive results, and they were found to have lower vitamin D levels (Median = 20.80 ng/ml, Interquartile range = 10.15) than those with negative test results (Median = 30.35 ng/ml, Interquartile range = 17.05), Mann-Whitney U = 41, p = .039. Only 1 of the 9 with positive test results had a normal serum 25 OH vitamin D3 level (30 ng/ml or greater) compared with 9 of the 16 with negative test results. Optimal vitamin D stores may play a significant role in reducing the risk of developing acute mononucleosis but larger, prospective studies will be needed to verify these findings.
PMID: 25009977
Results of mono spot test for those with sore throats
Download the PDF from Vitamin D Life
This study documents an association
No hint that a higher level of vitamin D might have prevented getting monnucleosis.
It could easily be that the monnucleosis inflammation consumed vitamin D.
It is, however, important to restore vitamin D levels to healthy levels to prevent other diseases