Mononucleosis
Health Tip #12, 14 November 1996
As many of you are probably already aware, there was an outbreak of chicken pox in Freeborn this last weekend (see Cindy�s contagion notices). In the last day another contagious disease has surfaced: mononucleosis. Also known as the Epstein-Barr virus, the "kissing disease", herpesvirus 4, or glandular fever, it is one of the most common viruses worldwide. About 95% of adults 35-40 years old had been infected sometime during their lives.
Transmission does not occur through the air or blood, only through saliva. Contact can be spread through kissing, using the same kitchen utensils, swimming or bathing together, or any other activity where there might have been salivary contact. The incubation period is 4-6 weeks and the disease can be spread during part of that time, but since many healthy people also carry the virus, the disease is impossible to control. Symptoms of mononucleosis include:
The symptoms go away after 1-2 months, but the virus will stay in your body for the rest of your life. At times the virus might resurface and then disappear again. The intensity of the disease is different for everybody � for some it could be very severe, and in others it could go away unnoticed. A blood test can determine if somebody actually does have the disease. As the virus itself can not be cured, only the symptoms can be treated. Antibiotics might help if there is a bacterial infection as well, but mostly the disease just needs to run its course. Some self-care suggestions �
Sources of Information:
Cabbage�s Homepage: http://www.aston.ac.uk/~grayjw/
Center for Disease Control http://ftp.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/epstein/epstein.htm
Health Worker Resource Guide, by Christopher Miner-Olivares, 1996.
|