Mononucleosis, often called "Mono", is a usually mild self-limiting acute viral infection and, in most cases, does not deserve its bad reputation. While mono is not usually considered a serious illness, it may have serious complications. Usually (85% of the time) caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), it usually runs its course quickly and rarely produces any serious complications. There are, however, other viruses that may produce a mono-like illness. A less common form of mononucleosis is caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV).
Mononucleosis is an illness that affects teenagers and young adults, mainly ages 14 to 30, but can occur in children and older adults. It has been estimated that approximately 50% of students have had mono by the time they enroll in college.
Many times the symptoms are so mild that it is not recognized for what it is: The symptoms of mononucleosis may be the same as many other illnesses, such as "colds" or strep throat. For this reason, it is particularly difficult to diagnose in the early stages of the illness, although the diagnosis is usually based on symptoms and a physical exam. Symptoms usually disappear within 2-4 weeks, with fatigue sometimes lingering longer.
Confirmation, if necessary, can be accomplished by either of two blood tests:
Other tests your doctor might order include a complete blood count (CBC) to see if your blood platelet count is lower than normal and if lymphocytes are abnormal, and a chemistry panel to see if liver enzymes are abnormal.
There are no conventional medical treatments to cure mononucleosis, only those that help manage the symptoms. In approximately 20-30% of people with mononucleosis there is a concurrent bacterial throat infection. Any antibiotics prescribed may help with the sore throat, but not the EBV infection.
Relieve pain and fever with analgesics. Contact sports should be avoided while the spleen is enlarged. Cold drinks and frozen desserts are both ways to relieve sore throat symptoms. Doctors also recommend gargling with saltwater (about half a teaspoon salt to 8 ounces of warm water) and sucking on throat lozenges available over-the-counter in pharmacies and other stores. If throat or tonsils are infected, a throat culture should be taken so the doctor can prescribe an appropriate antibiotic. Ampicillin is usually not recommended because it sometimes causes a rash that can be confused with the pink, measles-like rash that 1 out of 5 mono patients develops.
Acetaminophen is preferable to aspirin for pain and fever relief because of the association of the EBV and Reye's syndrome in children. In most cases of mononucleosis, hospitalization is not indicated. It has been shown that those who remain active to the limit of personal comfort get well more rapidly than those who remain in bed.
Prevention
EBV is found in moist, exhaled air, and in nose or mouth secretions. It is not as contagious as many other viruses but may be transmitted through direct contact. This explains its nickname of the "kissing disease". There is a long incubation period of 30 to 50 days from the time one is exposed to the virus to the time one gets sick. In addition, the virus can be transmitted in other ways, such as sipping from the same straw or glass as an infected person – or even being close when the person coughs or sneezes.
Isolation of the patient is not indicated; one can not catch mononucleosis by sitting in the same room with someone who has it, although persons who have had mononucleosis can shed the virus periodically in their saliva for the rest of their lives. Some people can have the virus in their systems without ever having symptoms, and still be infectious.
Fever usually abates in about 10 days, and swollen lymph glands and spleen heal in 4 weeks. Fatigue usually resolves within a few weeks, but may linger for 2 to 3 months.
Possible complications include:
Intermittent and moderate fatigue is one of the early and main symptoms of mononucleosis. It almost always disappears within 2-4 weeks and lasts for months in only 1-2% of cases. Prospective studies among University populations have established that 20% of patients returned to work or school within 1 week and 50% within 2 weeks.
A low grade fever occurs at first, and then rises to above 100°F after the third or fourth day.
The sore throat usually seen in mononucleosis typically clears in 7-19 days, possibly fewer.
When infection with EBV occurs during adolescence or young adulthood, it causes infectious mononucleosis 35% to 50% of the time. 85% of infectious mononucleosis cases are caused by EBV.
About 50-75% of people with mononucleosis have some spleen enlargement, usually seen two to three weeks after they first become sick. Whether or not the spleen is enlarged, people who have mono should not lift heavy objects or exercise vigorously – especially participating in contact sports – for two months after they get sick, because these activities increase the risk of rupturing the spleen, which can be life-threatening. If you have mono and get a severe sharp, sudden pain on the left side of your upper abdomen, go to an emergency room immediately.
Mononucleosis-like disease may be caused by the cytomegalovirus (CMV) as well as the classic mononucleosis of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Both viruses are members of the herpes virus family. Mononucleosis caused by EBV is the most frequently encountered type and is responsible for approximately 85% of infectious mononucleosis cases. Sore throat is less common in people who have CMV mono than in those infected with EBV.
If your throat is sore, having a throat culture is usually a good idea for several reasons. First, the symptoms of mono and strep infection (including that caused by Strep-A, a particularly serious form of strep) are very similar. Second, strep throat or other throat infections can develop at any time during or shortly after infectious mononucleosis infection. In any case, it is important that throat infections be diagnosed as soon as possible and treated with antibiotics that can kill the organism responsible for the infection.
A high protein, decreased fat diet and vitamin supplements may be recommended.
Those under 20 should not take aspirin unless a doctor approves it. In children and teens, aspirin taken for viral illnesses has been associated with the potentially fatal disease Reye syndrome.
According to doctors who have used ozone in mononucleosis, resolution of symptoms is accomplished more quickly.
Your body is a highly complex, interconnected system. Instead of guessing at what might be wrong, let us help you discover what is really going on inside your body based on the many clues it is giving.
Our multiple symptom checker provides in-depth health analysis by The Analyst™ with full explanations, recommendations and (optionally) doctors available for case review and answering your specific questions.