Kiss and Tell
Mononucleosis is one of the most viral diseases on the planet, and has spread from all corners of the globe. Known in the medical world as Infectious Mononucleosis, it’s often referred to as “mono” or “the kissing disease”. An impressive 90% of all adults in the globe have either been infected or have been exposed to the disease, numbers that are only matched by big heavyweights like cold or flu. It’s not airborne as some people think, nor does it spread by coming into contact with someone’s breath or with the infected person’s cough. It’s spread through saliva, and that’s why it’s earned its reputation as being a kissing disease. But lip to lip or mouth to mouth contact isn’t the only way to get in contact with someone else’s saliva – although it is the most obvious. And with an incubation period of one to two months, it’s practically impossible for anyone to truly know when or why they became infected. Plus, since the incubation period is so large, there’s a wide period of time during which an infected person is carrying the disease without knowing it, and therefore increasing the risks of spreading the infection to others around them. Once you do know that you’ve been infected with mono, it’s paramount that you impose yourself a quarantine period. Staying away from others is the responsible thing to do for them.
In terms of its symptoms, mono may be hard for a doctor to diagnose. So the most important thing is if you suspect, for any reason, that you have mono, you should inform your doctor as soon as you develop the symptoms.
The early symptoms of infectious mononucleosis are very similar to that of a strong cold or flu. You’ll experience fever, a sore throat, heavy fatigue, lack of appetite and some weight loss. But these symptoms will last for longer than with a normal flu or cold, and more areas of your body will be affected. Your red blood cells will burst, your liver swells and some people develop jaundice. Because it attacks the liver, it’s very important that you don’t take any antibiotics while you’re suffering from infectious mononucleosis. The only medicine you should take while suffering from this disease are painkillers and fever reducing medicine. The best cure for infectious mononucleosis is rest. Stay at home, drink lots of warm tea and sleep and rest a lot.
