Because its symptoms can be very similar to those of other illnesses, doctors often recommend tests to find out exactly what the problem is. That's what I thought because I had killed a spider in my room. I figured I'd been bitten by a spider in my sleep. Gipson returned to his doctor, who did blood tests and diagnosed mononucleosis. Other diagnostic problems can result because enlarged lymphocytes, a type of white cell, are common with mono, but can also be a symptom of leukemia.
Blood tests can distinguish between the type of white cell seen in leukemia and that with mono.
If your throat is sore, having a throat culture is usually a good idea for several reasons. Second, strep throat or other throat infections can develop anytime during or shortly after in the disease. In any case, it's important that throat infections be diagnosed as soon as possible and treated with antibiotics that can kill the organism responsible for the infection. The test most commonly used to tell whether you have mono or some other ailment is the mononucleosis spot test. Because it takes a while for antibodies to develop after infection, your doctor may need to order or repeat the test one to two weeks after you develop symptoms.