Mono Symptoms
What is infectious mononucleosis/Mono?
Infectious mononucleosis, "kissing disease", "mono," and "glandular fever" are all common illnesses caused because of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). EBV is a member of family of herpesvirus. The people in adulthood contain antibody against the virus EBV and that antibody in present in their blood. In the United State, 95 percent of the people of age in between 35 - 40 have the antibody against the EBV. Meaning of this is, many of the people, some of the times in their lives gets infected with EBV.
The title "mononucleosis" means increasing white blood cells known as lymphocytes which is in blood stream relative to the components of other blood and therefore causes the EBV infection. Mono is commonly occurred in the teenagers and young adults and it is at peak in the adults aged 15 to 17. It occurs in children also, but very rarely. Usually, in young children the illness is not harsh and irritates the symptoms of other illnesses. Therefore mono is not easily diagnosed in younger people.
How is mono spread?
Mono is spread from one person to another by the contact. For transmitting mono, primary method named saliva is responsible. Infectious mononucleosis or mono, also named as kissing disease, transmitted in the teenagers mostly. A person suffering from mono can pass this to other person through sneezing or coughing. Because of this coughing and sneezing, small drops of the infected saliva or mucus to be poised in to the air which transmitted to other by inhaling. Sharing the food or beverages from same container or instrument may also transfer the virus from person to person and result the infected saliva.
Many of the people exposed the virus and result of this exposure is developing the immunity to virus. The mono's incubation period is the time from the initial incubation period for the mono till the occurrence of the mono symptoms and it is of four to six weeks. During the infection, an infectious person can transmit virus to other for at least few weeks.
Mild illness may causes due to virus in the children whose ages between nine and fifteen. These illness shows infection of common illness. In adults, the mono symptoms and signs are severe and last after long time.
Normally incubation period takes 4 to 6 months but in younger children this period is shorter. Symptoms and signs like sore throat and fever generally minimizes within 2 weeks but lymph node, fatigue and swollen lasts after some weeks.
Research shows that, depending on the method used for detecting virus, where 20-80 percent who have mono and those recovered from that, continues to secrete EBV in the saliva for the years.
Mono Symptoms and Signs:
Following are general mono symptoms and sings:
- Symptoms such as Fatigue
- It includes sore throat, perhaps a strep throat that doesn't get better with antibiotics
- Includes weakness
- Includes swollen tonsils
- Includes fever
- Includes swollen lymph nodes in your neck and armpits
- Includes headache
- Includes soft and swollen spleen
- Includes skin rash
- Loss of appetite
- Night sweats
- A general lack of energy or malaise,
- Chills.
- A loss of appetite
Signs of Mono:
In addition to a fever from twelve to fourteen degrees Fahrenheit, the most common signs of the mono are given below:
- A very reddened tonsils and the throat
- Swollen lymph glands present in the neck.
Diagnosis of the Mono:
The diagnosis is assumed by doctor based on the mono symptoms and mono signs. For confirming the mono, blood test is very useful also includes other tests to rule out the throat. In the early course of mono, blood test shows increasing white blood cells.
For verifying the diagnosis of mono, particular blood tests such as heterophile and monospot antibody tests are used. Mononucleosis Treatment
Self-Care at Home:
Patient suffering from mono have lot of rest and lot of fluids.
- For controlling fever and pain, take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or the ibuprofen (Advil).
- Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
- Throat gargling or lozenges with warm saltwater may soothe a sore throat.
- Limit the activity and take a rest in the bed based on degree of the illness. Medical Treatment Mono treated in the home by threatening the mono symptoms at home with lot of water and rests.
- Corticosteroids may be rarely prescribed in some of the cases like airway obstruction, hemolytic anemia, severe thrombocytopenia, hepatitis, and the complications including the nerves and heart.
- For treating the mono, antibiotics are not used.
Exams and Tests:
In most of the cases of mono, no any particular treatment is needed. Treatment is moved towards the relief of the symptoms. The antiviral drugs which are available are not so effective on overall outcome of mono. Strep throat occurs in combination with the mono and is treated with erythromycin and penicillin. For confirming the diagnosis of mono, following blood tests are useful:
- A complete blood count shows the count of the white blood cells to be high because of the infection.
- Test of liver function shows liver enzyme levels nearly about ninety percent.
- A test named as heterophile antibody is used for measuring the antibody.This typese of antibody is present in 80-90 percent mono patient. They create the infection in with the virus Epstein-Barr virus and other infections also.
- Result of this test is negative in younger children.
- The qualitative heterophile antibody test gives either the negative or a positive result. This test requires only few minutes for performing and providing the result.
- This Epstein-Barr virus specific antibody test is useful for those people whose heterophile antibody test gets negative. This test is also useful for atypical cases or young children those supposed to have mono symptoms.
For more details on the diagnostic tests follow the given link:
