Diagnosing and Treating Mononucleosis

摘要

Infectious mononucleosis (IM or Mono) is usually caused-by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is a member of the herpes virus family. This virus was discovered by the renowned Russian pediatrician Nil Filatov in 1885. IM is characterized by a triad of symptoms: fever, tonsillar pharyngitis, and lymphadenopathy. It is primarily spread through saliva, and those who are infected can spread the disease weeks before symptoms develop. Spreading may occur through objects such as drinking glasses or toothbrushes and can be prevented by not sharing personal items or kissing infected individuals. Drinking enough fluids, getting sufficient rest, and taking pain medications such as acetaminophen and ibu-profen are the best recommendations. There is no vaccine for EBV, and mono generally gets better on its own.