Get the Facts About Mono

I can remember as a teenager when mononucleosis or mono was going around in my high school and about half the class was out sick. I was included in the "out sick" population. Mono also known as the "kissing disease" but unfortunately I'm pretty sure that's not how I acquired mono.

Mono can be spread through saliva. It can be passed from person to person when they share cups, bottles, eating utensils and through kissing, coughing and sneezing. It's more common in the teenage and young adult population but it isn't uncommon for the elementary school children to become infected.

The Center for Disease Control reports that 95 percent of adults worldwide have the antibodies from exposure to mononucleosis. Having the antibodies usually means that at one point in their lives they had mono.

Mononucleosis is a viral infection which is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It's a very common illness in children and symptoms range from mild which can resolve without the infected person feeling sick enough to see a medical provider, to more moderate with annoying symptoms such as extreme fatigue, sore throat, fever, swollen glands, skin rash, muscle aches and abdominal pain.

Another common symptom of mono is the temporary enlargement of the liver or spleen which occurs in the first two-three weeks of an infection. Spleen enlargement is usually why your medical provider doesn't recommend sports during the illness. It can lead to rupture of the spleen after a direct blow during a sporting event or after too much physical exertion. This is a rare complication and occurs in one-two people with mono out of 1000 cases. It's recommended not to play sports for about one month after an infection.

Treatment for mononucleosis consists of getting adequate rest, drinking plenty of fluids, eating a well balanced diet, salt water gargles for sore throat and taking acetaminophen for your fever, sore throat and body aches.

Antibiotics are not useful in treating mono because it's a viral infection. Although, occasionally they are used when mono is accompanied by strep throat which occurs in about eight percent of cases. Your body should be able to successfully fight the mono infection if you take care of yourself. Most people infected with mono feel better within two weeks but fatigue can last up to one month.

There is no vaccine to prevent mononucleosis. You can protect yourself and your kids by making sure that they avoid close contact with anyone who has it. You should wash your hands well and often, don't share drinks or eating utensils with others.

If you are concerned that you have mono, a simple blood test at your medical providers office can be done. For more information, some good articles can be found on the websites CDC.gov, kidshealth.org and familydoctor.org.

As always, see you at the clinic.

Lynne