Once a person is infected with the Epstein-Barr virus there is a lag time, or incubation period, during which the virus is multiplying in the body. Sometimes mono can be confused with the flu or strep throat because the symptoms are so similar, but with mono, the fatigue and other symptoms can go on for weeks or even months before an individual fully recovers. “Often the person says ‘Doc, I am sleeping a lot but still tired and don’t feel like I am doing too much’,” Dr. Unusual fatigue is a very common early symptom of mono. These antibiotics are used for bacterial ailments and are frequently incorporated into treatment when a bacterial cause of a sore throat is suspected prior to a diagnosis. Sometimes the first indication that a person may have mono is a rash that develops after taking the antibiotics amoxicillin or ampicillin. Mono is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is a type of herpes virus and one of the most common human viruses. Other viruses in the herpes family cause cold sores and illnesses like chickenpox. In fact, most people have been exposed to the virus by the time they reach middle age, with the majority acquiring the infection during childhood and severe symptoms more typical during the teen years. Many people have the Epstein-Barr virus in their system throughout their lives without any symptoms. We can only confirm if they were exposed and had the virus in them through a blood test.” “This is especially true in young children as fever (often persistent) may be the only symptom. “Many people have the virus in their system throughout their lives without any symptoms,” says Rob Danoff, DO, an osteopathic family physician. It can also be transmitted by activities like sharing drinks and using another person’s utensils, or through blood and other bodily fluids.īeing exposed to mono does not guarantee an onset of symptoms, especially if you are exposed as a child. While the most common way for the virus to spread is, indeed, through saliva, you don’t have to kiss someone with an active strain of it in order to contract it. Infectious mononucleosis, or mono, is often called the “kissing disease” because the virus can be easily transmitted by kissing.

Infectious mono: More than the ‘kissing disease’

Signs of mono