What is 'Kissing Disease'? Let's talk about it! (Mononucleosis)

Has your young child been feeling really tired for the past few days? Does he or she feel lethargic after school? Does he or she have a sore throat and a fever? At times like these, we think it's just a common cold or flu. But sometimes it can be something a little different. Today we're talking about the 'Kissing Disease', or in medical terms, Mononucleosis , which many people have heard of but don't know exactly. Don't worry, this is usually not a serious illness, but it's important to be aware of it.

What is Mononucleosis or the 'Kissing Disease'?

Simply put, Mononucleosis is a contagious disease. It is most often caused by a virus called Epstein-Barr virus ( EBV ) . It is called the 'Kissing Disease' because the virus is easily transmitted through saliva. It can be spread by kissing someone, sharing drinking glasses , cups, and eating utensils.

Although this is a contagious disease, it is not as contagious as the common cold. This means that you will not catch it just by being near someone who has it.

Mononucleosis can make you feel so tired that you can't do your usual activities for a few weeks. So it's important to be aware of this. It often affects young people, especially those in school and university.

Is this caused only by the EBV virus?

In most cases, about 90% of cases, the cause is the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Although it belongs to the herpes family of viruses , it is different from the virus that causes genital herpes. However, very rarely, other viruses can also cause these symptoms. For example, viruses like `(Cytomegalovirus – CMV)` can also cause this.

How do we get this disease?

As we've discussed before, it's mainly spread through saliva . That's why it's called the 'Kissing Disease.' Apart from that,

• By using items such as cups, plates, and spoons that the patient used.
• Rarely, through droplets released when a patient coughs or sneezes.
• It is also very rarely possible to transmit the disease through medical procedures such as blood transfusions or organ transplants.
• And also semen), so it can sometimes be considered a sexually transmitted disease (STD), but the main route is through saliva.

How long is this disease contagious?

It can take about 4 to 6 weeks for the virus to enter the body and for symptoms to appear. During this time, you can still infect someone else. You are definitely contagious while you have symptoms. Doctors believe that you can infect someone else for several months even after your symptoms have cleared.

What are the main symptoms of this disease?

The symptoms of mononucleosis can vary from person to person. Some people may develop the disease without any symptoms at all. But let's look at the most common and rare symptoms.

For most people, these symptoms improve within 2 to 4 weeks . However, in some cases, especially extreme fatigue, they can last for months.

How does a doctor diagnose this?

When you go to see a doctor, he will ask you about your symptoms. Then, he will examine your body. In particular,

• Check to see if the tonsils in the throat are swollen or white.
• Check the neck and armpits for swelling.
• The abdomen is palpated to check for swelling of the spleen or liver.

If the doctor suspects that this may be mononucleosis based on these symptoms, he or she will order several blood tests to confirm it.

1. Complete Blood Count (CBC): This checks the number of white blood cells in the blood and whether they have any abnormalities.

2. Antibody tests: This test can accurately determine whether your body has produced antibodies against the EBV virus.

What are the possible complications of this disease?

Although this is not usually a dangerous disease, serious complications can rarely occur, so it is important to be aware of this.

• Enlarged and Ruptured Spleen: This is the most serious complication of mononucleosis. The spleen is an organ located on the upper left side of our abdomen. It can become swollen in this disease. When it is swollen, it can burst if you hit your stomach hard, lift something heavy, or play sports.

• Liver problems: Conditions such as liver swelling (Hepatitis) or yellowing of the eyes (Jaundice) may occur.
• Blood problems:Conditions such as red blood cell destruction (hemolytic anemia) or a decrease in platelets (thrombocytopenia), which help blood clot.
• Heart problems: Conditions such as inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis).
• Nervous system problems: Rarely, serious complications such as swelling of the brain (encephalitis) or swelling of the membranes covering the brain (meningitis) can occur.

A person whose immune system is weakened due to a disease like HIV/AIDS or another cause is at higher risk of developing these complications.

How is it treated?

Here's the important thing. There is no specific treatment or medication for mononucleosis. Since it is a viral infection, antibiotics will not help. Treatment is aimed at controlling the symptoms and helping the body heal itself.

• Get plenty of rest: This is the most important and best treatment . Don't wait until you feel tired, get as much rest as you can.
• Drink plenty of fluids: Drink plenty of fluids like water, soup, and fruit juice to keep your body from getting dehydrated.
• Painkillers: For fever and body aches, you can take a painkiller like paracetamol, as prescribed by your doctor.
• Gargle with salt water: Dissolve a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and gargle with that water to relieve a sore throat.
• For throat swelling: Sometimes, if the tonsils in the throat become very swollen and it is difficult to breathe, a doctor may prescribe a corticosteroid to reduce the swelling.

Mononucleosis, Kissing Disease, EBV, Epstein-Barr virus, fever, fatigue, sore throat, cold, infectious diseases