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Infectious
mononucleosis (MONO)
The
kissing disease" is an infection causes fever, sore throat, fatigue, and
enlarged lymph nodes in the neck. It most commonly occurs in adolescents and
young adults. Although not generally considered a serious illness,
mononucleosis can lead to time loss from school or work due to severe fatigue.
How
did I get mono?
Mono
is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which can spread from person to
person through contact with saliva. You should avoid kissing or sharing of
eating utensils or drinking glasses with a person who is sick with mono.
EBV
infection most commonly occurs in young children, although most are not ill
when they develop mono. Symptomatic infection is much more common in teenagers
and young adults.
What are
the symptoms?
Body aches, headache, low-grade fever four to eight
weeks after exposure. The most common mono symptoms include:
· Sore throat
· Fever occasionaly more than 38ºc
· Enlarged
glands in the neck
· Fatigue
occasionally last for months
Young
children and older adults may have only a sore throat and muscle aches
Enlargement of the spleen —it enlarged in about half of people with mono. If
the spleen becomes enlarged, some doctors recommend avoiding sports activities
or heavy lifting for a few weeks. This advice is given to avoid the rare
complication of splenic rupture, which is a life-threatening complication occurring
after trauma.
How is
mono diagnosed?
Based on
person’s symptoms and physical examination, the diagnosis can be suspected and
can be confirmed by a blood work. The blood test can be sometimes falsely
negative during the first weeks of symptoms.
What
is the treatment?
The treatment
is only directed to patient’s symptoms. Antibiotics are not helpful because
mono is viral infection and there is no medication to cure the virus.
Pain and fever:
Tylenol or Motrin, (Advil). Aspirin should not be given to young children with any
viral infection.
Rest:
adequate rest, although complete bed rest is not necessary.
Diet:
drink an adequate amount of fluids especially if you are dehydrated.
When
can I return to work or school?
Half of
people with mono develop an enlarged spleen, which can last for a few months.
Although you can return to school or work when you are feeling better, it's
important to avoid activities that can cause injury to the spleen. Athletes shouldn’t
participate in sports activities for at least the first three to four weeks of
the illness. Your doctor should be able to tell you when it is safe for you to
resume your activities.
When
will I feel better?
Most
people who suffer with mono recover completely without any long-term
complications. Symptoms usually begin to improve within one to two weeks
A few
percentages may feel fatigued for few months
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