Cause
Mononucleosis is an illness caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is spread through saliva.
Symptoms
The most well known symptom of “mono“ is extreme fatigue, forcing the infected person to nap frequently. If you experience such extreme fatigue accompanied by other symptoms, such as swollen lymph glands and spleen, sore throat, fever, loss of appetite, and muscle aches, you may want to get tested for mono. The basis for testing whether you have mono is the presence of antibodies produced by white blood cells. Many people infected with mono don’t get sick, or have such mild symptoms they don’t know they have it. EBV is usually in the body 30-50 days before an infected person develops symptoms. Surprisingly, 80-95% of adults in the US have been infected by the time they’re 40, but only about 20% know they’ve had mono.
Treatment
Mono is a virus, so antibiotics won’t help. Make sure you get plenty of rest, eat healthy foods, avoid alcohol (because your liver may be inflamed and drinking weakens immune responses), drink plenty of fluids, take aspirin or an aspirin substitute to reduce pain and fever, gargle salt water to relieve sore throat, and avoid strenuous activity. Because your spleen may be swollen, it is important not to engage in contact sports which could rupture your spleen. Returning to normal activity too quickly increases your chances of relapse.
Prevention
Avoiding someone with mono can be hard because infected individuals often do not show symptoms. Because the incubation period is so long, a person can be contagious 1-2 months before showing any symptoms, and some people don’t show symptoms at all. Even after signs of mono have disappeared, a person may still be producing the virus. A strong immune system, maintained by healthy diet, exercise, and adequate sleep, can help you from getting ill. Fortunately, mono is not very contagious, and is usually only passed through intimate contact, such as kissing.
