Mono – The Makeout Disease

Living in hostel or staying in campus is fun. Based on experience, I had plenty of freedom and hooking up with girls aplenty. Still dudes, you must take precaution. Here’s a guide on Mono, the makeout disease.

Infectious mononucleosis (also known as EBV infectious mononucleosis or Pfeiffer’s disease and colloquially as kissing disease – from its oral distribution – or as mono in North America and as glandular fever in other English-speaking countries) is an infectious, very widespread viral disease caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, which well over 90% of all adults are exposed to at some point in their life.

Most people are exposed to the virus as children, when the disease produces no noticeable symptoms or only flu-like symptoms. In underdeveloped countries, people are exposed to the virus in early childhood more often than in developed countries, which is why the disease in its observable form is more common in developed countries, where it is most common among high school and college students.

Especially in adolescents and young adults, the disease is characterized by fever, sore throat and fatigue, along with several other possible signs and symptoms. It is primarily diagnosed by observation of symptoms, but suspicion can be confirmed by several diagnostic tests.

Infectious mononucleosis is generally self-limiting and only symptomatic and/or supportive treatments are used.

Rest is recommended during the acute phase of the infection, but activity should be resumed once acute symptoms have resolved. Nevertheless heavy physical activity and contact sports should be avoided to mitigate the risk of splenic rupture, for at least one month following initial infection and until splenomegaly has resolved, as determined by ultrasound scan.