Question

1. What are the signs and symptoms of mononucleosis

2. How is mononucleosis transmitted?

3. Why teenagers or young adults should stay away from practicing contact sports if they have an acute mononucleosis infection.

Answer 1

1.Infectious mononucleosis, commonly called as mono,refers to a group of symptoms usually caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It typically occurs in teenagers, but also found in adults.The virus spread through saliva, so it is also often called “the kissing disease.”

1.Signs and symptoms.

• Fatigue
• Sore throat, perhaps misdiagnosed as strep throat, that doesn't get better after treatment with antibiotics
• Fever
• Swollen lymph nodes in your neck and armpits
• Swollen tonsils
• Headache
• Skin rash
• Soft, swollen spleen

2.Transmission of mononucleosis.

The virus is spread through direct contact with saliva from the mouth of an infected person or other bodily fluids, such as blood. It’s also spread through sexual contact and organ transplantation.

3.Contact sports should be avoided in case of an acute infection to prevent the spread of infection to the peer group.contact sports or any other activities that pose risk in direct contact with the infected person and his body fluids increases the risk of transmission.EBV has a longer incubation period and it can go unnoticed after a person contracts the disease by contact.so acute cases after diagnosis must avoid activities like contact sports,sharing dishes,glasses and utensils,kissing,having sex etc until several days after the symptoms subside.