And with an incubation period of 4-7 weeks, it can be a while before you know whether you’ve caught it. Transmission requires close contact such as kissing or sharing drinks. Nevertheless, Epstein-Barr is not very contagious. Epstein-Barr virus also causes an increase in the level of "mononuclear" white blood cells in the blood, which is how the disease got its nickname. In addition, the spleen can become enlarged – sports and strenuous activities must be avoided to prevent rupture. However, those who catch it when they are young adults (or older) suffer from sore throats, swollen lymph glands, and extreme malaise. Most people catch the virus at a very young age, at which time the symptoms are often too mild to be noticed. Barr.) More than 95% of the population is infected! Thank you to Jeffrey Bender, MD, medical director in the Division of Infectious Disease at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles for his advisement on this RN Remedies® blog post.FACTS: The Kissing Disease, or mononucleosis, is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (named after its discovers Michael Epstein and Y. Now that you know a little more about mono, its symptoms, and how to reduce your chances of getting sick, I hope you feel better equipped to keep you and your loved ones healthy and have fun this spring! Spread the knowledge and share this with family and friends on social media. We all need to remember to wash our hands regularly, especially before eating. Kids should be encouraged to avoid sharing drinks and food at school. If a friend or family member has mono, don’t kiss, share eating utensils, or come in close contact with them until they are healthy again. The most effective way of keeping yourself from being affected by mono is simply keeping your distance from anyone sick with mono. Avoiding heavy lifting and contact sports for at least four to six weeks, especially if your spleen is enlarged.ibuprofen) to help with fever and body aches. Taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (i.e.Gargling with salt water and sucking on throat lozenges may help with throat pain.Rest is very important! Kids may need to stay home from school too, especially if they have fevers.Unlike Strep throat which needs to be treated with antibiotics, there are no good anti-viral medications directed at treating the EBV infection itself. Recommended treatments for mono primarily focus on symptom relief. If your symptoms are mild, they will most likely go away in a few weeks. Conduct tests to rule out other infections (i.e.Order a Monospot test or EBV serologies to confirm the diagnosis.Doctors can usually do a quick test in the office to make sure you do not have Strep throat. Mono is frequently confused with Strep throat, a bacterial infection that causes many of the same symptoms. High fever (101-104 degrees Fahrenheit)Ĭontact your doctor if you have several of the symptoms.Enlarged spleen (Pain in left upper part of your abdomen).Enlarged lymph nodes elsewhere in your body.If you become sick with mono, expect to have a severe sore throat with white patches on your tonsils. Mono symptoms usually start to appear four to six weeks after you are exposed to the virus. Sharing food, beverages, containers, eating utensils and toothbrushesĬlassic mono usually affects young adults 15 to 24 years old, but the virus can infect people of all ages.It is most famous for being spread by kissing teenagers, but mono can also be passed from one person to another through: The virus is spread through body fluids such as saliva, mucous and tears. Many people with this infection don’t develop symptoms and don’t know they have it, but they can shed virus and expose others. Most people are exposed to EBV by the time they reach adulthood. It is most frequently caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Mono is term commonly used to describe a constellation of symptoms associated with an infection. Spring break and prom season are around the corner, which is what got me thinking about the topic of infectious mononucleosis, otherwise known as mono or the “Kissing Disease.” The reason why these two exciting springtime events inspired this blog post is because, well, kissing happens! Before you head off for a good time with friends, or watch your teenagers head out the door, read this and be prepared so you and your loved ones don’t become sick with mono.
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