Mono Essay, Research Paper

Cause Infectious mononucleosis is caused by the

Ebstein-Barr virus, which is a member of the herpes family.

This family also includes the viruses that cause cold sores,

chicken pox, genital herpes, and birth defects. The

Ebstein-Barr virus has a lengthy incubation period and

symptoms usually take about 4-10 weeks to develop.

Once a person is infected with a herpes virus, it never really

goes away. The viruses are able to lie dormant in our

bodies and become active at any time. The only way mono

can be spread is through direct contact with infected saliva.

That explains why it is known as the ?kissing disease?.

Drinking from each- others glasses, sharing silverware, and

coughing can also spread the virus. In rare cases it can be

transmitted from person to person through blood

transfusions. A person can only be infected when someone

who has the virus passes it to someone who has never been

exposed. But less than 5% of people w/ mono can recall

being in contact w/ someone who had mono. That is b/c

some people are strictly carriers. They carry the virus and

pass it along to someone else without ever getting any

symptoms themselves. Population Affected Anyone can get

mono. About 70-80% of all cases occur in people btw/ the

ages of 15-30. Mono is most common among high school

and college students who immune systems are usually run

down from stress and fatigue. Although mono peaks earlier

in females, it occurs more often in males. Females are

usually 15-16 when they contract mono and males tend to

be around 18-23. It is estimated that by the age of 40,

95% of the population has already had mono. That might

be hard to believe, but most people who had mono didn?t

even know it. They had such mild cases that they thought it

was just a cold or flu and their bodies were able to

produce antibodies against ever having mono again.

Symptoms If symptoms do appear, they don?t develop

immediately. The incubation period lasts anywhere from 2

to 7 weeks. The 1st symptoms are commonly mistaken for

a cold. They are headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, and

chills. The symptoms become more severe as the body?s

lymphatic system is affected. These include extreme

exhaustion, sore throat, fever and swollen glands. Sore

muscles, weakness, nausea, and difficulty breathing have

also been reported. The typical mono symptoms usually

last 1-3 weeks, but they can go away in a few days or last

several months. Mono causes enlarged spleens in 50% of

patients and enlarged livers in 20%. Tonsillitis, difficulty

swallowing, coughing and vomiting are other symptoms that

can occur. About ½ of all mono patients experience bumps

on theie tongues, 1/3 have puffy, painful eyes, and 1/10

develop a rash over their bodies. Although most symptoms

don?t last long, fatigue can last for many months.