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Mono Symptoms and Treatment

Mono is a virus transmitted from one person to another through contact with infected saliva. It is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. Anyone at any age can contract this virus; however, teenagers and young adult tend to get worse symptoms than other age groups.

  1. Typical Symptoms

    • Symptoms of mono usually begin to surface about four to eight weeks after exposure to the virus. Mono may cause extreme fatigue, weakness, fever, headache, a persistent sore throat, swollen tonsils, poor appetite, night sweats and a skin rash.

    Lingering Symptoms

    • The lymph nodes and spleen often become swollen shortly after the onset of this condition and may remain swollen for several weeks after other symptoms subside.

    Severe Symptoms

    • It is possible that a swollen spleen may rupture, resulting in sudden, sharp pain in the upper left abdominal area. If this occurs, emergency medical treatment is needed. Sometimes mono may cause jaundice or hepatitis. In very rare cases, mono has been responsible for causing anemia, heart inflammation, meningitis, encephalitis and Guillain-Barre syndrome.

    Diagnosis

    • Mono may be diagnosed based on a physical exam only; however, a blood test may be used to screen for Epstein-Barr antibodies.

    Treatment

    • Viruses do not respond to medications so the primary treatment for mono is rest and fluid consumption.

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