Mononucleosis ("mono")is a viral infection and can present in many ways. The most common symptoms of mono include: fever, severe sore throat, enlarged tonsils, painful swollen glands, fatigue and sometimes mild abdominal pain. Symptoms need to be present for about 5-7 days before the blood test for mono becomes positive.
Since mono is a viral infection and spread through saliva, the recommendations for trying to prevent catching it are the same for most viral infections. These are:
- good hand washing
- not sharing utensils or foods with friends
- not sharing cigarettes
- keeping your immune system healthy with enough sleep, exercise and a healthy diet
Call Student Health Services for an evaluation if you are sick and concerned that you may have mono.