| Glandular fever (or kissing disease) is the common | | | | leucoplakia, Burkitt's lymphoma, nasopharyngeal |
| term used to describe an acute viral infection | | | | carcinoma, post-transplant lymphoma and |
| called infectious mononucleosis. The virus that | | | | immunoblastic lymphoma in AIDS patients. |
| causes glandular fever is known as Epstein-Barr | | | | Symptoms of Glandular Fever |
| virus. Glandular fever mainly affects young adults. | | | | At first, glandular fever is sometimes wrongly |
| A chronic form of glandular fever is one of the | | | | diagnosed, for example as a bacterial throat |
| suggested causes of chronic fatigue syndrome. | | | | infection or tonsillitis. If you are given treatment |
| The most common age to get glandular fever | | | | for a bacterial infection with the antibiotics |
| with symptoms is between the ages of 10 and | | | | ampicillin or amoxycillin, you may develop a rash |
| 35. Only people who haven't already had it as a | | | | of small red spots. |
| child can get glandular fever as an older child or | | | | Infection begins in the salivary glands, which |
| young adult. If you've already had it, your body | | | | release large amounts of the virus into the saliva. |
| has produced antibodies that fight the virus if you | | | | The infection spreads to the B lymphocytes, |
| come into contact with it again. Its very rare to | | | | causing them to multiply, and causing the lymph |
| get glandular fever twice. | | | | glands to swell and become painful. |
| The cause of glandular fever (infectious | | | | Symptoms of the disease include fever, a sore |
| mononucleosis) is a virus known as Epstein-Barr | | | | throat, and swollen lymph glands. |
| virus (EBV). This is most frequently seen in | | | | The spleen, which is part of the immune system, |
| teenagers and young adults. It is thought to | | | | may swell up noticeably and become painful. This |
| spread in a similar way to many other viruses, | | | | organ is found under the ribs on the left side of |
| from saliva, and is sometimes jokingly referred to | | | | your abdomen. If it is hit or damaged while tender |
| as the "kissing disease", as it is often passed from | | | | and swollen it can sometimes rupture (burst) and |
| boyfriend to girlfriend or vice versa. Glandular | | | | cause internal bleeding, requiring surgery. |
| Fever is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. It can | | | | Young adults are often affected and the severity |
| be spread by coughing and sneezing or by sharing | | | | and duration of symptoms varies from no |
| eating and drinking utensils. | | | | symptoms, to developing breathing difficulties |
| Once you have recovered from glandular fever, | | | | (because of swelling at the back of the throat) |
| it's unlikely that you will get it again as you | | | | and other complications requiring hospitalisation. |
| develop immunity to the infection. The virus will | | | | Symptoms can last for months (it is a risk factor |
| still be in your body but, like other herpes viruses, | | | | for chronic fatigue syndrome). Symptom relief |
| EBV can live in your body without causing any | | | | and rest are commonly recommended |
| illness. Most adults carry antibodies to EBV in their | | | | treatments. |
| blood - this shows that they have been infected | | | | Glandular fever is common in children and |
| at some time. | | | | teenagers in developed countries such as |
| The disease is transmitted in saliva (also called the | | | | Australia. It is sometimes called 'The Kissing |
| kissing disease) and by aerosol. Some young | | | | Disease', because the virus that causes it is found |
| adults may remain debilitated and depressed for | | | | in saliva, and is passed on by close contact such |
| some months after infection. However, | | | | as kissing (and teenagers are prone to kissing). |
| reactivation of latent virus is only thought to | | | | The medical name for glandular fever is Infectious |
| occur in immunocompromised patients such as | | | | Mononucleosis. |
| AIDS patients. EBV is the cause of oral hairy | | | | |