- Virus (Epstein-Barr or EBV)
- Common illness found all over the world.
Signs and Symptoms
- Symptoms include sore throat, fever, and swollen lymph glands.
- The beginning of the illness can be fast, but most of the time it will start over several days, with chills, sweats, loss of hunger and fatigue (feeling tired).
- The most common symptom is a bad sore throat lasting 3-5 days.
Spread
- The virus is spread person to person through saliva – kissing, sharing utensils and drinks, etc.
- Passing of this virus through air or blood is less common.
- The time from infection to showing symptoms (incubation period ) ranges from 4-6 weeks.
- Many healthy people carry this virus throughout their lifetime without even knowing it, which makes the spread of infectious mononucleosis almost impossible to prevent.
Treatment
- No specific treatment, but bed rest and drinking plenty of fluids is important
Prevention
- Good hygiene measures including hand washing and avoiding sharing beverages or utensils can prevent you from coming into contact with the saliva that carries the virus
Children may return to school once they feel well enough to participate.
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