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