LABORATORY CHARACTERISTICS OF MIXED EPSTEIN–BARR VIRUS AND CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTION

Mixed infection with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) represents a clinically significant condition that poses diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to overlapping clinical manifestations and complex immunological interactions. This comprehensive review examines the laboratory characteristics of concurrent EBV and CMV infection, including hematological, biochemical, immunological, and molecular diagnostic parameters. Particular attention is devoted to the distinctive features of mixed infection compared to monoinfection, the dynamics of viral load, serological patterns, and cellular immune responses. The analysis synthesizes current evidence on laboratory markers that facilitate differential diagnosis and prognostic assessment in patients with mixed EBV/CMV infection.