Mononucleosis

Mononucleosis

Introduction

The infectious mononucleosis is also known as the kissing disease, sleeping disease, or simply as mono. It also spreads through saliva. The symptoms include fatigue, swollen glands, and sore throat. It attacks the immune system and results in unknown changes in the white blood cells. It is also called the sleeping disease as it gives too much fatigue to people. It spreads through oral contact with saliva through kissing. However, it could also spread through sharing of glasses or toothbrushes. Still, it could also spread through sneezing and coughing, but that is rare (Evans, 1997). Mononucleosis is a common and usually benign condition caused by the Epstein-Barr virus . The disease is often refer to as the kissing disease because it is transmitted by saliva.

Mononucleosis is an uncommon infectious disease. It afflicts only about 50 per 100,000 people. It may also result in some form of high fever. Symptoms include sore throat, swelling of glands, and headache and fatigue. Most of the times it infects college students, mostly freshmen. It directly attacks the immune system and results in abnormal reproduction activity of the white blood cells. However, the immune system soon recovers, in about 2 to 3 weeks. Several laboratory blood tests can be conducted to isolate the EBV which causes this infection. Doctors often confuse mono with flu. There have also been some reports of its outbreak. Under such conditions, it is found in clusters of regions. Still, currently its incidence rate in America is about 50 cases per 100,000 people. Finally, it may infect any person of any age at any time. Still, saliva is the most common carrier of this infection. The symptoms of mononucleosis are often different for older people who witness severe symptoms of the infection. These severe symptoms may also include rapid heartbeat and chest pain (Evans, 1997).

Half of the teens entering college have had the disease some time in their earlier life. Still, many people do not know that they got the disease as the symptoms are not very severe. It mostly resembles a bad cold.

A majority of the mono cases are caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It is a kind of herpesvirus. Other herpsesviruses cause mumps, chicken pox, fever blisters, and cold sores. EBV attacks the immune system and weakens its ability to counter diseases and illnesses.

When viruses attack the body, the immune system counters them. The white blood cells in the blood create antibodies that fight germs. These antibodies are responsible for total protection of the body against all invaders. Therefore, it is the immune system that protects the body. EBV infects the salivary glands and reproduces there. From there it starts to affect the blood. As a result, the white blood cells which are the B-cells start to reproduce in an awkward manner. The size of these cells also increases manifold. The other white blood cells which are the T-cells then eliminate the damaged B-cells (Gedatus, 2000).

Then, it attacks the lymphatic system from the ...