Monospot test (heterophil test). This quick screening test detects a type of antibody (heterophil antibody) that forms during certain infections. A sample of blood is ...JumptocontentALERT:Updatedvisitorpolicyinplace7a.m.Wednesday,May26.Learnmore.OtherUMHSSitesYouarehereHome»MononucleosisTestsTopofthepageMononucleosisTestsTestOverviewMononucleosistestsarebloodteststolookforantibodiesthatindicatemononucleosis(mono),whichisusuallycausedbytheEpstein-Barrvirus(EBV).Theantibodiesaremadebytheimmunesystemtofightaninfection.Monotestsinclude:Monospottest(heterophiltest).Thisquickscreeningtestdetectsatypeofantibody(heterophilantibody)thatformsduringcertaininfections.Asampleofbloodisplacedonamicroscopeslideandmixedwithothersubstances.Ifheterophilantibodiesarepresent,thebloodclumps(agglutinates).Thisresultusuallyindicatesamonoinfection.Monospottestingcanusuallydetectantibodies2to9weeksafterapersonisinfected.Ittypicallyisnotusedtodiagnosemonothatstartedmorethan6monthsearlier.EBVantibodytest.Forthistest,asampleofbloodismixedwithasubstancethatattachestoantibodiesagainstEBV.Aseriesoftestscandetectdifferenttypesofantibodiestohelpdeterminewhetheryouwereinfectedrecentlyorsometimeinthepast.WhyItIsDoneThemonospottestisdonetohelpdiagnosearecentmonoinfection.Epstein-Barrvirus(EBV)antibodytestingisalsodonetohelpdiagnosemono.TheEBVantibodytestcanhelpdeterminewhetheryouhaveeverbeeninfectedwiththevirusandwhethertheinfectionhasbeenrecent.EBVantibodytestingisusuallydonewhenyouhavesymptomsofinfectiousmononucleosisandamonospottestresultisnegative.EBVantibodytestingmayalsobedonetocheckforantibodiestoEBVwhenapersonhasadiseaseorusesmedicinethatcausesproblemswiththeimmunesystem.HowToPrepareIngeneral,there'snothingyouhavetodobeforethistest,unlessyourdoctortellsyouto.HowItIsDoneThemonospottestisdoneonasmallsampleofbloodtakenfromyourfingertiporfromavein.TheEpstein-Barrantibodytestisdoneonabloodsampletakenfromyourvein.BloodtestfromafingerstickForafinger-sticksample,thehealthprofessionalwillpuncturetheski