What is infectious mononucleosis?
Infectious mononucleosis, also known as mono or the “kissing disease,” is an infection caused by Ebstein-Barr virus.
How did I get mono?
The virus can spread from person to person through contact with saliva. Thus, a person can get the virus by kissing, sharing eating utensils, or drinking from the same glass as a person who has mono.
What are the symptoms?
- Fever (temperature greater than 100.4ºF)
- Fatigue
- Sore throat
- Enlarged lymph glands in the neck
Is mono ever dangerous?
The spleen is an organ in the left upper abdomen, just under the diaphragm. Inflammation develops in the spleen in about half of people with mono. If you have inflammation, you should avoid contact sports or heavy lifting for a few weeks. This advice is given to avoid the rare complication of splenic rupture that can occur after trauma, but can also happen spontaneously.
How do doctors diagnose Mono?
A person’s symptoms and physical examination are usually enough to diagnose this condition. Blood tests can confirm the diagnosis. We also offer the in-house mono test at our clinics.
What treatment is available for mono?
The goal of mono treatment is to ease the symptoms while the immune system contains the virus. Antibiotics are not helpful because mono is a viral disorder, and there are no antiviral medications that can effectively treat or cure the Epstein-Barr virus. Symptomatic treatment is best.
Walk-in to any of our clinics. No appointment is necessary at our clinics and you’ll only wait minutes to be seen. You can call ahead at (917) 310-3371
and let us know you’re on the way or you can check in online.
