The so-called ‘kissing disease’ carries these rather annoying symptoms.
Do you know the “kissing disease”? It is infectious mononucleosis, an infection caused by various viruses, although the cause is usually due to the Epstein-Barr virus . Some typical symptoms of this infection are fever, tiredness, sore or swollen throat , etc.
In this article we will learn what this infection consists of, as well as its causes, symptoms, mechanisms to prevent it and the treatment to adopt in case of becoming infected.
- Recommended article: “The 3 types of herpes (causes and frequent symptoms)”
Mononucleosis: what is it?
Mononucleosis, also called infectious mononucleosis, is an infection, usually caused by a virus called Epstein-Barr. This virus is transmitted through saliva. For this reason, mononucleosis is also called “kissing disease.”
This infection appears especially in adolescents and young adults ; in fact, several studies show how the highest incidence of mononucleosis appears in people between 10 and 19 years old.
Characteristic
Mononucleosis is characterized by a number of symptoms, such as new-onset fever, sore throat (also called sore throat), abnormal cervical lymph nodes, and sometimes atypical lymphocytosis (increased proportion of lymphocytes)
Causes
The causes of mononucleosis or infectious mononucleosis can be several , although it is almost always a virus. It is usually caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), but not always.
Let’s see what these causes.
1. Epstein-Barr virus
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the main cause of mononucleosis, belongs to the herpesvirus family , and is one of the most common in humans. It is also known as human herpes virus 4.
The Epstein-Barr virus is distributed throughout the world, and it is estimated that up to 95% of adults between the ages of 35 and 40 have been infected with it at some point in their lives.
Acute EBV infection is common. The infection generally develops asymptomatically or nonspecifically in minors. On the other hand, this cause has been related to the socioeconomic level of certain populations.
2. Other causes
But EBV is not the only cause of mononucleosis; other possible causes of this infection are other types of viruses, such as CMV, primary HIV infection, acute Toxoplasma gondii infection in immunocompetent patients, cytomegalovirus, and adenovirus.
Symptoms
The most typical symptoms of mononucleosis are: a febrile illness (of variable magnitude), which lasts for several days (generally 2 to 3 weeks), together with pharyngitis (inflammation of the mucosa lining the pharynx), which is often associated with exudate (a fluid composed of cells, proteins, and solid materials).
Other symptoms that appear are anterior and posterior cervical lymphadenopathy; lymphadenopathies involve an increase in the size of the lymph nodes.
Finally, fatigue or despondency and splenomegaly may also appear, which consists of a pathological enlargement of the spleen beyond its normal dimensions.
In very rare or severe cases, mononucleosis can cause symptoms such as heart and nervous system problems, although it is very unlikely to be fatal.
The symptoms of mononucleosis usually go away in 1 to 2 months at the most ; however, when it is caused by Epstein-Barr, the virus can remain dormant in the throat and in the blood cells of the infected person for life. On the other hand, and in these cases, it may happen that the virus reactivates every “X” time, although then the mononucleosis that appears is usually asymptomatic.
Prevention
To prevent infection by infectious mononucleosis, it is logically important to avoid exposing yourself to the possibility of becoming infected , as well as to closely monitor contact with people who suffer from it.
If you know that certain people in the environment are infected, it will be essential not to share cutlery, napkins or other utensils that involve contact with the mouth or saliva.
In addition, salivary contact through kisses or the like should also be avoided, use a mask if the person also sneezes, etc.
Treatment
Treatment of mononucleosis involves specifically treating its symptoms, as there is no specific treatment for the infection .
That is, there are no antiviral vaccines or specific medications, although treatment with steroid medications (such as corticosteroids) may be considered for patients with severe or severe symptoms.
Bibliographic references
- Ebell M. (2004). Epstein-Barr Virus Infectious Mononucleosis. American Family Physician, 40: 1279-87.
- Fica, A. (2003). Infectious mononucleosis syndrome in adolescent and adult patients. Rev Chile Infect, 20 (4): 235-242. Practical infectology.
- Lara, P. (2009). Infectious mononucleosis (Literature review). Medical journal of Costa Rica and Central America, LXVI (587); 73-77.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.
