It's characterized by a sore throat, fever, fatigue, body aches and a loss of appetite. The disease is viral and can affect the lungs, liver and lymphatic system. It infects primarily young adults, specifically high school and college students, according to the Mayo Clinic's Web site.
Mononucleosis, or mono, is an illness caused by the Epstein-Barr virus and is spreading like wildfire across campus, with between 15 and 20 students diagnosed a week, said physician Anthony Dowell, who works at the Amelia T. Wood Health Center. Spring and fall are the primary seasons for mono, meaning it is cyclic, he said.
Mono is commonly known as the "kissing disease," and this is one way of transmitting the disease. The virus is transmitted through saliva, so coughing, sneezing or sharing food with someone who is infected could spread the virus, according to the Mayo Clinic's Web site.
Amanda Walters, a freshman speech pathology major, got the disease without knowing how she could have caught it.
"There was another girl on our floor who had it," she said.
Lauren Schmidt, a freshman architecture major recovering after having mono for a month, said she had swollen lymph nodes, an acute sore throat, white beads on her tonsils and mucus on the back of her throat and that she was tired a lot.
"I made sure I got enough sleep," she said about the first week of having the illness.
She also said she experienced a loss of appetite, but that subsided quickly during the first week.
Because of her extreme tiredness, Schmidt said she tried to get about 10 hours of sleep a night.
Walters said she experienced the same fatigue.
"I have completely lost my appetite and I have to force myself to eat," Walters said. "I can't lose anymore weight."
People with mono deal with certain restrictions because of the seriousness of their symptoms.
Walters experienced one of the most serious mono symptoms: a swollen spleen. Her spleen could easily rupture with activities such as contact sports or seriously hitting her abdomen where her spleen is located, Walters said.
Dowell said it is important for those with mono to avoid abdominal trauma, which means not playing sports for two to three weeks, or even longer depending on the severity of the case.
The restriction Walters said has affected her the most has been doctors telling her that they don't want her to work and that she should spend more time sleeping.
The only way to know for sure if a person has mono is to see a doctor and get tested.
The Health Center conducts a mono spot test, which is a simple blood test where the nurse pricks the finger, takes a small amount of blood and the results are announced within minutes, Dowell said.
One problem with mono is that it can be mistaken for strep throat. Many of mono's symptoms are similar to those of other illnesses.
Walters had been sick for two weeks before she was diagnosed. She said that she had been to the Health Center once to be tested for strep and received antibiotics for that.
When her symptoms continued, her mom, who had mono her freshman year of college, convinced her to go back.
Schmidt said she was tested twice for mono. The test came back negative the first time. When her symptoms worsened, she decided to go back and get tested a second time, and then she was diagnosed.
Schmidt said that the disease is viral, so there aren't any drugs she could take to fix the problem. The only way to help the disease is to get plenty of rest and eat as healthfully as possible. Over-the-counter drugs may be used to help ease pain, but will not stop the illness.
Walters said all she could do was let the illness run its course.
Dowell said symptoms typically last for about three weeks, but the Epstein-Barr virus would always be present in the body.
The kissing disease
- Mononucleosis infectious, or mono for short, is a viral disease that affects the lungs, liver and lymphatic system.
- Passed from person to person through close contact such as kissing or sharing food.
- Stress
- Recent illness
- Fatigue or overwork
- Ruptured spleen
- Anemia
- The heart, lungs or central nervous system could be affected. This, however, is rare.
- Avoid close contact with those suffering from mono.
- Usually clears up within 10 days to six months.
- Gargle frequently with salt water.Rest as much as possible.
- For minor pain, use acetaminophen, an aspirin substitute.
- Avoid contact sports for at least one month.