Mononucleosis affects the body by causing sore throat, fever, and fatigue, among other symptoms. The body's white blood cell count is also elevated. In 50 percent of people, the virus causes the spleen to enlarge. Some may also experience liver inflammation and jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes.
Is mononucleosis a very bad virus?
Most people will only get mono once, but the infection can make a comeback in rare cases. Mono is a viral infection that causes symptoms like fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and a severe sore throat. These symptoms usually get better within two to four weeks. Sometimes, fatigue and other symptoms may continue for three to six months or more.
Does mononucleosis affect the liver?
Sometimes, mononucleosis can lead to hepatitis, or an inflammation of the liver. The liver filters a person's blood, removing any harmful substances, like dead cells, fats, toxins, hormones, and bilirubin. If the liver becomes infected or is faced with more toxins than it can handle, it can be come inflamed.
How does mono affect the liver?
These symptoms include:
- extreme fatigue
- fever
- sore throat
- head and body aches
- swollen lymph nodes in the neck and armpits
- swollen liver or spleen or both
- rash
Does mono affect your liver?
Mono severely impacts on the functioning of the liver. Most of the patient suffering from mononucleosis is diagnosed with an increased level of liver enzymes such as alkaline phosphatase and aspartate aminotransferases. Other serious effects on the liver include hepatitis, cancer, and jaundice.
Can mono cause long term liver damage?
Infectious mononucleosis is a largely benign disease process that occurs secondary to infection with the Epstein-Barr virus. However, it can also present with more serious complications, including auto-immune hemolytic anemia and acute liver failure.
How long does mono affect your liver?
Enlarged spleen and a swollen liver are less common symptoms. For some people, their liver or spleen or both may remain enlarged even after their fatigue ends. Most people get better in two to four weeks; however, some people may feel fatigued for several more weeks.
Can mono cause your liver enzymes to be elevated?
Liver function tests Most (ie, 80-100%) of patients with acute infectious mononucleosis have elevated liver enzymes, even though jaundice is not usually present.
What organs get affected by mono?
Mononucleosis may cause enlargement of the spleen. In extreme cases, your spleen may rupture, causing sharp, sudden pain in the left side of your upper abdomen.
Can mono cause liver inflammation?
Mono can cause temporary enlargement of the liver and spleen, and occasionally produce a transient liver inflammation called mono hepatitis.
Can glandular fever damage your liver?
Glandular fever complications Most people get better with no problems. But sometimes glandular fever may lead to other problems like: mild liver inflammation (hepatitis), which causes yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice) low levels of blood cells called platelets (thrombocytopenia)
How does Epstein-Barr affect the liver?
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a DNA virus associated with infectious mononucleosis (IM) in children and young adults. It may cause moderate and transitory increase of liver enzymes; however, in rare cases, severe liver injury and even fatal ALF may occur [4].
Can mono turn into hepatitis?
Infectious mononucleosis due to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection sometimes causes acute hepatitis, which is usually self-limiting with mildly elevated transaminases, but rarely with jaundice.
Can mono cause long term problems?
Mononucleosis rarely leads to a serious condition called chronic EBV infection. In chronic EBV infection, you have long-lasting symptoms and a viral infection that lasts longer than usual after your original mononucleosis diagnosis.
Can mono trigger autoimmune disease?
Mono and your genetic code They looked at genes activated in immune cells called B lymphocytes that are involved in fighting viral infections. Researchers found that the virus protein binds to several locations along the human genome that are linked to an increased risk of autoimmune diseases.
What are the four stages of mono?
Stages of MonoThe prodrome stage. Mono infection occurs in three stages. ... The acute phase. The acute phase, which can last for 2 to 6 days, is when the symptoms begin to worsen. ... The convalescent stage. The last stage is the convalescent or recovery stage, which can last from 2 to 6 months.
Do you always test positive for mono after having it?
A small number of people with mononucleosis may never have a positive test. The highest number of antibodies occurs 2 to 5 weeks after mono begins. They may be present for up to 1 year. In rare cases, the test is positive even though you do not have mono.
What are the complications of mononucleosis?
Mononucleosis can also result in less common complications, including: Anemia — a decrease in red blood cells and in hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein in red blood cells. Thrombocytopenia — a low count of platelets, which are blood cells involved in clotting.
How do you know if you have mononucleosis?
Signs and symptoms of mononucleosis may include: Fatigue. Sore throat, perhaps misdiagnosed as strep throat , that doesn't get better after treatment with antibiotics. Fever. Swollen lymph nodes in your neck and armpits. Swollen tonsils. Headache. Skin rash. Soft, swollen spleen.
How does mononucleosis spread?
Mononucleosis is spread through saliva. If you're infected, you can help prevent spreading the virus to others by not kissing them and by not sharing food, dishes, glasses and utensils until several days after your fever has improved — and even longer, if possible.
What causes a spleen to enlarge?
A number of conditions, including liver disease and some cancers, can cause your spleen to become enlarged. Mononucleosis may cause enlargement of the spleen. In extreme cases, your spleen may rupture, causing sharp, sudden pain in the left side of your upper abdomen.
How long does Epstein-Barr stay in your saliva?
And remember to wash your hands regularly to prevent spread of the virus. The Epstein-Barr virus may persist in your saliva for months after the infection. No vaccine exists to prevent mononucleosis. By Mayo Clinic Staff.
Can you get mononucleosis if you are a teenager?
You're most likely to get mononucleosis with all the signs and symptoms if you're a teen or young adult. Young children usually have few symptoms, and the infection often goes undiagnosed. If you have mononucleosis, it's important to be careful of certain complications such as an enlarged spleen.
Can you get mono from kissing?
Overview. Infectious mononucleosis (mono) is often called the kissing disease. The virus that causes mono (Epstein-Barr virus) is spread through saliva. You can get it through kissing, but you can also be exposed by sharing a glass or food utensils with someone who has mono.
How to treat mono?
Treatment. The treatment for mono includes fever and pain control, adequate hydration and salt water gargles to alleviate the throat pain. Your liver enzymes eventually normalize as the liver inflammation decreases.
What is the best test for mononucleosis?
The most common tests for liver enzymes are aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). ALT is the best test to detect hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, and it usually yields higher readings than the AST in conditions like mononucleosis 1. Another liver protein that can be elevated in mono is bilirubin. This protein is important in the digestion of fats in your intestines. It is also the byproduct of red blood cell turnover. An elevation in the bilirubin level in people with mononucleosis causes jaundice, or a yellowish tinge of the skin 1.
How do you know if you have mono?
Your initial symptoms are nonspecific and include, according to the Mayo Clinic, lethargy, weakness and headache 1. Fever, sore throat and swelling of the neck lymph nodes, the more typical symptoms of mono, develop a day or two later. Other symptoms include swelling of the lymph nodes in the armpits and the groin area, skin rash, ...
What protein is elevated in mono?
Another liver protein that can be elevated in mono is bilirubin. This protein is important in the digestion of fats in your intestines. It is also the byproduct of red blood cell turnover. An elevation in the bilirubin level in people with mononucleosis causes jaundice, or a yellowish tinge of the skin 1.
What is the Epstein-Barr virus?
The Epstein-Barr virus is part of the herpes family of viruses. According to the CDC, most people become infected during their childhood and adolescent years. By the time they reach adulthood, most people have been exposed to it, but only between 35 and 50 percent of people exposed to the virus develop symptoms of infectious mononucleosis 1.
What is elevated liver enzymes?
Elevated Liver Enzymes & Mono. Infectious mononucleosis, commonly abbreviated as just "mono," is a viral illness caused by the Epstein-Barr virus 1. It is one of the most common viral illnesses in humans. One of the effects of this infection is liver inflammation.
What is the liver test?
According to Lab Tests Online, your liver contains a number of enzymes and proteins inside its cells. When the liver is damaged or inflamed, these enzymes are released into the bloodstream. A blood test, called the liver or hepatic panel, can measure your level of these enzymes in the blood.
What are the complications of infectious mononucleosis?
Complications of infectious mononucleosis don’t happen often. Complications may include:
How to treat mononucleosis?
Treatment for mononucleosis may include: Rest (to give the body's immune system time to destroy the virus) Drink plenty of liquids. Take over-the-counter medicine as directed for discomfort and fever. Corticosteroids only when necessary to reduce swelling of the throat and tonsils.
What is infectious mononucleosis?
Infectious mononucleosis is characterized by swollen lymph glands, fever, sore throat, and extreme fatigue. It’s often spread through contact with infected saliva from the mouth. Symptoms can take between 4 to 6 weeks to appear and usually do not last beyond 4 months. Transmission is impossible to prevent because even symptom-free people can carry the virus in their saliva.
How is infectious mononucleosis diagnosed?
A diagnosis of mononucleosis is usually based on reported symptoms. However, diagnosis can be confirmed with specific blood tests and other lab tests, including:
What test is used to determine if you have infectious mononucleosis?
White blood cell count, which is not diagnostic, but the presence of certain types of white blood cells (lymphocytes) may support the diagnosis. Heterophile antibody test or monospot test, which, if positive, indicates infectious mononucleosis.
Is mononucleosis dormant?
Once a person has had mononucleosis, the virus remains dormant in the throat and blood cells for the rest of that person's life. Once a person has been exposed to the Epstein-Barr virus, a person is usually not at risk for developing mononucleosis again.
Does Epstein-Barr cause mononucleosis?
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may cause infectious mononucleosis in adolescents and young adults. However, even after the symptoms of infectious mononucleosis have disappeared, the EBV will remain dormant in the throat and blood cells during that person's lifetime.