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Mononucleosis: The Kissing Disease

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Who knew that just a quick kiss, a sip from someone’s cup, or being hit by collateral sneeze particles could spell disaster? “Mononucleosis” (mono), more commonly known as the kissing disease, is a disease that affects a person’s liver. Mono is mainly caused by the “Epstein-Barr virus” [EBV] which is a saliva based virus (Mayo Clinic 5). “Dr. E. Pfeiffer” was the first scientist to fully research this disease “in 1889” (Sleepydust 2). It is quite easy to become infected with EBV, which in turn, may result in the contraction of mono. The majority of people will succumb to this disease at some point during their life, and once they have it, it remains in their body forever. For some people, “…it is possible to be exposed to and infected with EBV without becoming sick,” but this is not always the case (Kids Health Organization 4). …show more content…
Anyone can fall victim to this virus, but teenagers, young adults, and couples have the highest risk of exposure because it is primarily caught from kissing. Four to six weeks after a person is subjected to the mono virus, the first round of symptoms begins occurring. Symptoms of mono are similar to that of the common cold, but they can be far worse. These include: fatigue, headache, fever, sore throat, and many more. However, a few other symptoms are found with mono that do not usually occur when a person is ill with a cold or the flu. Some of these are soft, bloated spleen, swollen tonsils, and skin

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