10 Mononucleosis Symptoms
Mononucleosis is a viral infection with the Epstein-Barr virus, abbreviated as EBV and also called herpes virus 4. Other names for the infection include mono, infectious mononucleosis, glandular fever, and given that it is mainly transmitted through oropharyngeal secretions, the kissing disease.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people seroconvert at some point in their lives (develop specific antibodies to EBV that become detectable in blood). However, this does not necessarily mean they develop symptoms. Interestingly, in the US around half of the population seroconverts before age 5. The virus infects B lymphocytes, and these proliferate and circulate throughout the body (most importantly: spleen, liver and peripheral lymph nodes) activating several of the body’s defense mechanisms (cytokines, and T-cell response).
While the condition is more common in people aged 15 to 24 years, it can occur at any age. Below are the top 10 symptoms of mononucleosis.
