The scientific name of the Mono virus is the Epstein – Barr virus, or EBV. It is the member of the herpes virus family. The Mono virus causes infectious mononucleosis, also known as mono, glandular fever & more candidly known as the “kissing disease”. The earliest known description of this disease comes from back in 1889 when it was referred as “Drusenfieber”. The current term, mononucleosis became commonly used for mono virus in 1920 when an unlikely high number of lymphocytes were found in the blood of college students who showed severe symptoms of the mono virus.
Mono virus is found all over the world, there is no specific continent that are immune to this mono disease. Normally, by the time people reach adulthood, their bodies produce an antibody to fight EBV or mono virus. These antibodies are produced by the human immune system to fight various viruses & bacteria, each antibody is for a specific virus & they are produced after the person has contracted that virus at some point in their life. According to statistics, almost 95% of adults in the United States between the ages of 35 & 40 have an antibody against the mono virus in their blood, which means that all these people have contracted the mono virus at some point.
The symptoms of mononucleosis caused by mono virus are fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue and loss of appetite, weakness & night sweats. Mono virus is spread through saliva, hence the candid name, “kissing disease”. The incubation period for mono virus is about four to eight weeks, which it means it takes four to eight weeks after the initial infection of the virus for the symptoms to appear. The person who has been infected by the mono virus can spread it by coughing or sneezing. Sharing utensils with an infected person can also spread the mono virus as the other person comes in contact with the infected person’s saliva.
Most of the cases of mono virus infections are detected in people between the ages of 15 & 24. This is because most of the adults have antibodies to fight mono virus in their blood streams & very few children who contract the mono virus show any symptoms. The cases of mononucleosis in children below the age of 15 are as few as 10%.
Mononucleosis causes the inflammation of the liver, which is more commonly known as hepatitis. It can also cause enlargement of the spleen. It is advised to people suffering from the mono virus infection to avoid vigorous contact sports as this may cause the spleen to rupture.
Usually, there is no treatment necessary for the mono virus, it is your usual viral illness, comes & goes in its own time. Doctors usually focus on treating the symptoms caused by the mono virus infection. Anti-virus medication is said to prolong the illness ; Erythromycin, Ampicillin & Amoxicillin are said to make matters worse. Doctors usually prescribe acetaminophen for the headaches. But also tell the patients to take a good amount of sleep & rest.
