Mononucleosis is sometimes confused with the flu or a cold, and a sore throat during mononucleosis is similar to that experienced with angina. It is called the kissing disease because it is most easily caught by a kiss. It is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus transmitted by saliva. Infectious mononucleosis most often affects children and adolescents. What are the symptoms of mononucleosis, what tests help diagnose it, how is mononucleosis treated?

Mononucleosis - what is this disease?

Mononucleosis contagiousis a viral disease. Initially, it is very similar to a cold - a person suffering from mononucleosis feels unwell, has a headache and a sore throat. You also get flu-like symptoms, such as breaking bones.

Mononucleosis is caused by a virus named after its discoverers, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV for short). Mononucleosis virus is very common. Most adults (as much as 96-99%) have antibodies that indicate contact with EBV. When the virus enters the body, it enters the salivary glands and begins to multiply there. He feels best in saliva - it is the contact with the patient's saliva, which is full of these germs, that gives rise to the infection.

For this reason, mononucleosismost often affects preschool children , who - like children - take shared toys to their mouths, andadolescentswho experiences her first love and kisses (hence another name for mononucleosis -kissing disease ). At the same time, it is in this group that it has the mildest course. Adults over the age of 35 are the most severely ill. Anyone who has had mononucleosis has acquiredpermanent immunity to the Epstein-Barr virus , but will be a carrier of it for the rest of their lives.

EBV is the culprit of one of the cancers of the blood system - Burkitt's lymphoma. Fortunately, there is no association between developing mononucleosis and an increased risk of developing lymphomas.

Mononucleosis - symptoms

Time from the entry of the virus into the body to the first symptoms of mononucleosisit is quite long. The first symptoms of the disease appear30-50 days after the infection with .

They are usually very confusing. Especially in children, the infection often resembles:

  • cold (malaise, backache, runny nose)
  • or mild tonsillitis (raised temperature, sore throat)

But mononucleosis can also have a much more severe course, which makes you suspect angina (the symptoms of which are, among others, severe sore throat, strongly enlarged tonsils with coating, and high temperature).

However, mononucleosis is not always so insidious. Most often, after a few days of such confusing symptoms, the most characteristic symptoms of mononucleosis often appear :

  • highfever , reaching 40 ° C, which lasts for quite a long time, usually around two weeks
  • significantly enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, under the jaw and groin - they can be the size of a walnut, hard and hurt to touch
  • strongsore throatandenlarged tonsils with grayish coating- the raid causes an unpleasant, bland smell from the mouth
  • half of patients with mononucleosis also haveabdominal paincaused byenlargement of the spleen , the gland lying on the left side in the upper abdominal cavity
  • sometimes the characteristicswelling
    • appears on the eyelids, browbones and bridge of the nose
  • a symptom of mononucleosis is alsorunny nose
  • when the virus enters the liver, the patient with mononucleosis developsjaundice symptoms

Mononucleosis - rash

Mononucleosis may also causerash- this may happen if the doctor decided that the cause of the malaise was a bacterial infection of the throat and prescribed an antibiotic: ampicillin or its derivative.

Mononucleosis - diagnosis

So many confusingsymptoms make it difficult to make an accurate diagnosis . So if there are any doubts, blood tests will help to dispel them, because the EBV virus also attacks white blood cells (or more precisely - B lymphocytes) and changes them in a characteristic way.

The simplest research is the so-calledslide tests . They can be performed on an outpatient basis (a drop of blood and a special reagent are mixed and wait 3 minutes for the result). The tests are quite accurate, although there are some misleading results - positive in the absence of disease or negative in the presence of disease.

If the patient is seriously ill and the doctor suspects mononucleosis, despite the negative slide test, it is possible toconfirm the diagnosis by takingserological profile . It's an expensive test, but it's accurate - it detects antibodies against specific EBV particles (i.e., its antigens).

Mononucleosis - treatment

There are no special medications against mononucleosis . There are some antiviral medications, but they do not work against EBV. The body has to deal with the disease on its own, which, however, is not only possible, but also needs help.

The treatment is based on a veryfrugal lifestyle . Until the fever subsides, it's best to just lie in bed and rest.

The temperature can be loweredby taking medications with paracetamol or ibuprofen. They will also help in the event of a headache or muscle pain accompanying the disease.

You also have todrink a lotto avoid dehydration.

The diet should be easy to digest- sparing the liver and gentle on a sore throat. Its basis, especially in the initial stage of the disease, may be, for example, pureed soups.

Garglingcan help reduce soreness, you can do this with chamomile tea or rinses available at the pharmacy. If the pain is severe, it will be relieved by e.g. sprays, sucking ice cubes or throat tablets.

You should also make sure thatthe air in the patient's room is well moistened . You can add essential oils (e.g. eucalyptus, pine) to the water in the humidifier to reduce swelling of the nasal mucosa. This will make breathing easier and at the same time prevent the throat mucosa from drying out.

Mononucleosis - complications

Complications of mononucleosisare rare, butare serious .

The complications of mononucleosis include:

  • rupture of the spleen, accompanied by severe pain in the upper left abdomen and symptoms typical of shock: weakness, fainting, pallor, rapid pulse, sweating. Such a situation requires the immediate intervention of a surgeon and removal of the broken organ.
  • airway obstruction
  • inflammation of the heart muscle and the tissues surrounding the heart
  • Invasion of the bone marrow or central nervous system (brain and spinal cord)
  • if the virus affects the liver, jaundice usually develops and requires hospital treatment.

Mononucleosis - convalescence

Mononucleosis is very exhausting for the body. Prolonged fever, enlargement and pain of the lymph nodes, and finally the presence of the virus in the blood for several weeks are a serious test for him. Thereforeweakeningifastfatiguecan be a nuisance for several weeks after the disease subsides.

So you need to getmore sleep and restto be able to fully regenerate. It is very important to avoid strenuous physical exertion and avoid abdominal injuries. The spleen, enlarged during the disease, protrudes from under the ribs that protect it, and because it is very delicate, it can break easily.

In addition, when all symptoms of the disease have disappeared, it is worth doingcontrol blood test (morphology)to find out if there is anemia and if the appearance and number of all blood cells are back to normal.

How to prevent mononucleosis?

Avoid (especially teach your child this) to drink someone else's glass or share cutlery. Why? Because just a few days before the symptoms of mononucleosis appear, the EBV virus is present in large amounts in saliva and can infect.

But often even 6 months after the symptoms have disappeared, the virus is still in the saliva and is still dangerous. In some people, its secretion with saliva persists for years. The only defense against him is hygiene.

Category:

Infectious diseases