The Structure of Kissing Disease/Mononucleosis
There is a disease called the kissing disease, this name is coined from the fact that it can easily spread all through the body fluids like saliva. More medically, we can refer to it as infectious mononucleosis, a contagious viral infection that affects mostly teenagers and young adults, but it may affect children too. In most situations, the disease is not a big issue as it would go away after some time even without treatment, but the symptoms that come with it, fatigue, body pain, and other associated symptoms can affect daily life and school work. These symptoms vary within age groups, with young children, the symptoms shown are usually usually mild.
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The virus causing mononucleosis is Epstein-Barr virus(EBV), there are so many carriers of the virus who do not even show symptoms. EBV is a type of herpesvirus that is spread by contact, most usually with salivary secretions. The period of oral shedding is not clear, but the high level of shedding can continue for 6 months after the onset of the illness.
The virus causing mononucleosis is a highly contagious one, it can be picked up through contact with the fluid of an infected person, and this includes saliva. The virus can also be spread through; kissing, blood transfusions, coughing or sneezing, organ transplants, sexual contact, and sharing food, drinks, and other eating utensils.
Even after the symptoms of mononucleosis have gone away, it can remain in the body in inactive form, some people even develop mononucleosis twice. During the reactivation, it rarely comes with symptoms, it can however be spread unknowingly to other people, and those with a weak immune system can even develop the symptoms more than once.
While mononucleosis can easily be regarded as a condition that will get better with time, an enlarged spleen that ruptures is often a great concern with once-healthy people. The gland in question is found in the upper left abdomen and usually helps with the filtering of blood, if this spleen gets to burst, it could bleed into the abdomen. Internal bleeding from a ruptured spleen could create a life-threatening situation that requires an urgent emergency.
To avoid having a ruptured spleen, a doctor may advise against strenuous exercises, heavy lifting, and sports until you feel better. The treatment for mononucleosis is most often a supportive one, the medications of antipyretics and inflammatory help to treat sore throat, fever, and fatigue that is mostly associated with the illness. Good nutritional intake, rest, and appropriate hydration should be severely encouraged.
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Corticosteroids are usually advised against the treatment of mononucleosis because it comes with concerns with immunosuppression, but in cases of airway obstruction, corticosteroids are usually indicated along the path of proper airway management. For an instance where antibiotics have been administered inappropriately, it can cause a generalized maculopapular rash. While this is more common after the administration of amoxicillin, it can be seen as well with other antibiotics.
Mononucleosis can be prevented, and the best way to do that, is through the practice of good hygiene, we need to learn not to avoid sharing food, drinks, and body fluids with strangers or anyone who shows a sign of viral illness like cough, fever, sore throat, or fatigue.
If you have mononucleosis, and you begin to experience; dizziness, difficulty with breathing or swallowing, serious body aches, serious headaches, sharp pain in the upper left abdomen, and a high fever that fails to go. Experiencing mononucleosis during pregnancy would often not affect the baby especially when appropriate work is done at the right time, there is however a chance that the fetus is affected if treatment or care is not administered at the right time.
Mononucleosis can have an appearance of other illnesses, and that is the reason why it is important to see a doctor whenever you notice an unusual symptom. If your child begins to reject food, has a rash, a seizure, a high temperature, shows some signs of unusual behavior, and also signs of dehydration.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/311932#timeline
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4670567/
https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/sites/default/files/teams/82/communications/Infectious%20mononucleosis%20%5BCPR%5D.pdf
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/13974-mononucleosis
Hi, I am Tobi, a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people. If you want to hear me speak about relationships and general life issues, you can find my YouTube channel, where you can watch any episode for free. Please do not forget to subscribe, friends. I sincerely appreciate every love I get from here. Kindly do well to keep them coming.
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