Mononucleosis Case

Mononucleosis

Mononucleosis is a common viral infection that causes fever, sore throat, and enlarged lymph nodes. We chose to research this disease because it's caused by the transfer of saliva from one person to another, and is extremely infectious. A number of our friends have been diagnosed with either having mononucleosis or being a carrier of it. This also sparked our interest in learning about the disease. In the following paper we will discuss the causes, symptoms and effect of mononucleosis. We will also talk about the history of this disease, and the current studies being done.

In the 19th century, Mononucleosis was known as an acute glandular fever. It was an illness that struck mostly teenagers and young adults. Mono first got its name in 1920 by a researcher name Sprunt, and his associates. Sprunt gave the disease this name because they were dealing with cases that showed acute leukemia. The cases seemed to be able to recover on its on with "blastlike" cells in the blood. But then in 1932 two researchers' named Paul and Burnell were given the credit for the discovery of mono. Paul and Burnnell discovered that serum for patients with symptoms showed heterophile antibodies. This discovery allowed doctors and researchers to understand who had mono, and to be able to diagnose it more clearly.

The symptoms of mono are very diverse. In ever two to three patients the disease slowly begins and progresses with the following symptoms; An significant increase in temperature, headache, weakness, muscle and joint pain, sleep and appetite disorder, and there may be light chills with excessive sweating. The disease can develop without being noticed, and the only symptom of mono that makes a patient visit a doctor is lymph nodes enlargement. A fever is highly variable and may be present for 1-2 days or even 3 weeks or longer. During the early period of the disease, 1/3 of patients are suffering from low grade fever. More severe fever is observed in adults and children. The average duration of fever is 6-10 days in most patients. The fever is also combined with other mono symptoms; changes in the throat are more typical than any other mono symptom. Also during the 3-4th day of the illness, your liver and spleen should increase in size. "Hepatomegaly is accompanied with a feeling of weight in the right hypochondrium, weakness, loss of appetite, nausea and sometimes vomiting. Moderate hyperbilirubinemia and increase of ALT and thymol are often registered. (http://monosymptoms.net)"

The best treatment for mono is rest, at least for the duration of the fatigue; which tends to me somewhere around a week or too. The fatigue feeling could last longer depending on the severity of the disease. In order to relieve the sore throat on should drink many fluids. Also it may help to gargle with salt water and take Tylenol. It's not best to push through the fatigue