![]() ![]() No one knows how long this period of infectiousness lasts, although the virus can be found routinely in the saliva of most people with mononucleosis for at least six months after the acute infection has subsided. Household members or college roommates have only a slight risk of being infected unless they come into direct contact with the patient's saliva.Ī person is infectious several days before symptoms appear and for some time after acute infection. Someone with mononucleosis, however, does not need to be isolated. Direct contact with virus-infected saliva, such as through kissing, can transmit the virus and result in mononucleosis. It also infects white blood cells called B cells. Epidemics do not occur, but doctors have reported clustering of cases.ĮBV, the virus that causes most cases of mononucleosis, infects and reproduces in the salivary glands. Mononucleosis does not occur in any particular "season," although authorities in colleges and schools, where the disease has been well studied, report that they see most patients in the fall and early spring. Among college students, the rate is several times higher. Doctors estimate that each year 50 out of every 100,000 Americans have mononucleosis symptoms. Both men and women are affected, but studies suggest that the disease occurs slightly more often in men than in women. Seventy to 80 percent of all documented cases, however, involve persons between the ages of 15 and 30. ![]() Like all herpesviruses, EBV remains in the body for life after infection, usually kept under control by a healthy immune system.Īlmost anyone at any age can get mononucleosis. These infections can occur with no symptoms of disease. This fact sheet focuses on mononucleosis caused by EBV.ĮBV is a common virus that scientists estimate has infected over 90 percent of people aged 40 or older sometime during their lives. Most of the remaining cases are caused by certain other herpesviruses, particularly cytomegalovirus. An estimated 90 percent of mononucleosis cases are caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a member of the herpesvirus group. 2021 doi:10.1249/ mononucleosis - known popularly as "mono" or "the kissing disease" - has been recognized for more than a century. Splenomegaly from recurrent infectious mononucleosis in an NCAA Division I athlete. Recurrence of infectious mononucleosis in adults after remission for 3 years: A case report. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Risk factors and outcome of concurrent and sequential multiviral cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, BK virus, adenovirus and other viral reactivations in transplantation. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation and therapeutic inhibitors. Clinical manifestations and treatment of Epstein-Barr infection. It also could happen when stomach muscles are used, as in weightlifting. It could happen in a sport where the stomach presses on something, such as an uneven bar in gymnastics. This could happen during a contact sport. And a swollen spleen can be damaged by pressure on the stomach during sports. This is because the spleen can swell during a mono infection. If you do have mono, your provider may suggest you avoid sports. See your health care provider to get diagnosed. Other illnesses can cause these symptoms as well. Swollen lymph nodes in the neck and underarms.Talk to your health care provider if you've had mononucleosis before and you think you have symptoms of it again. It doesn't come back, but instead is a new infection. Most people will never have another bout of mono caused by EBV.Īfter you recover from mononucleosis caused by EBV, it's possible to get mono again from a different source. But overall, it's highly unlikely to happen. More research is needed to understand the extent, if any, that this happens in otherwise healthy adults. Some studies suggest that it's possible to get mononucleosis again after you recover from mono linked to EBV. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |