Nov

29

2011

What are the Symptoms of Mono?

all questions / health questions  Posted by / 2 comments

Mononeucleosis is referred to as the “kissing desease”, because it’s transmitted through saliva. It’s a member of the Epstein-Barr virus, which is part of the herpes family, but I wouldn’t go spreading that around if you have it ;)

The initial symptoms of Mono:

  • Being tired all the time
  • A really bad sore throat
  • Loss of appetite
  • Chills

Later symptoms of Mono:

  • A fever of 102 to 104 degrees F
  • Headache
  • Muscle aches
  • Enlarged/swollen glands or lymph nodes in the neck, armpit and groin
  • 1/3 of infectees have a white covering over tonsils
  • 50% get an enlarged spleen (think chest pain and loss of breath)
  • 5% get a red rash that resembles measles

How do you get Mono?

  • Sharing drinks, cigarettes, straws, eating utensils, etc.
  • Kissing
  • Being extraordinarily close to an infected person who coughs or sneezes
  • Using the cellphone of someone who has Mono

When do you start showing signs of Mono?

  • Some people never show signs and are merely an incubator, and can pass it on to others
  • Symptoms can star showing up from 14 to 60 days from infection

How do you treat Mono:

  • Sleep and wait it out
  • Drugs don’t work, and Amoxicillan gives 90% of patients a rash
  • Since the spleen is bloated and close to rupture, you shouldn’t play contact sports for 6-8 weeks

How long are you considered contagious?

  • You are infectious for up to 18 months from initial infection
  • Like herpes, the virus can be reactivated throughout your life, so there’s no way to really know

When does Mono finally go away?

  • Sore throat, headaches, and fever will go away within a couple weeks
  • Fatigue can last from 6 weeks to 6 months
  • If it makes you feel better, most people that get mono won’t “get it” again, even though it might be in their system

Sources:
http://www.coolnurse.com/mono.htm
http://www.medicinenet.com/infectious_mononucleosis/page3.htm
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/infections/common/viral/077.html
http://www.jhu.edu/~shcenter/mono.htm
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/DS/00352.html