A few days ago a 17yearold female came to the doctor's office very concerned that she had a "serious, possibly fatal, illness." She had been running a slight fever for the past week, had been very tired, had tender lymph nodes in her neck, and had been losing weight without dieting. Her chart indicated that she had never been sexually active and had never used intravenous drugs. As you read this chapter, consider the following questions:

1			Is it likely that this patient has a life-threatening illness?
2			What tests should be done to diagnose this patient?
3			Based on her symptoms, what disease or disorder is this patient more likely to have?
4			Is the patient contagious? What precautions should she take to avoid spreading her illness?