Symptoms

• Symptoms of mono are usually mistaken for a bad cold or strep throat, which is why mono is thought of as such a subtle sickness. One could have the sickness for weeks and have no idea of it. Young children with mono may not even exhibit any symptoms.
  
  Usual symptoms include fatigue, headache, fever, sore throat (sometimes with the white patches indicative of strep), swollen lymph nodes and tonsils, loss of appetite, night sweats and, in some cases, an enlarged spleen.
  
  The virus usually lasts four to eight weeks with cold-like symptoms generally subsiding after two weeks and other symptoms such as fatigue and swollen nodes and spleen lasting four or more weeks.
  
  

Causes and Risk Factors

• Mono is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus and is spread through contact with infected saliva, mucous and sometimes tears. Mono is a common disease for children to get and the symptoms are generally mild. Adults are less likely to become infected with mono because they have built up more of an immunity to the virus. Anyone living or working in an area with a higher concentration of people is at a higher risk of infection.
  
  

Facts

• Mono is similar to the chickenpox in that once you become infected with the virus and experienced sickness, you will build up an immunity and will not become sick with mono again. Another interesting fact is that once you are infected with the Epstein-Barr virus, it will forever stay dormant in your system. There is no getting rid of the virus once you have it, but luckily it generally does not become active again.
  
  

Treatment

• The best treatment for mono is simply resting and drinking plenty of fluids. Taking pain medication and gargling salt water can help alleviate certain symptoms. Doctors suggest avoiding too much heavy activity for at least one month after symptoms have disappeared to avoid a relapse.
  
  Antibiotics do not work for viral infections, although your doctor may prescribe antibiotics if you develop strep from mono symptoms. However, certain antibiotics, especially amoxicillin, can cause a rash if taken during a mono outbreak. In some severe cases of tonsil, node and/or spleen swelling, the doctor may prescribe a corticosteroid medicine to reduce their size.
  
  

Prevention

• The only way to help prevent mono is to avoid contact with those who are or have been recently ill and to avoid others if you yourself have been ill. There is no vaccine for mono, so containment is the best policy.