Glandular fever, better known as mononucleosis (mono) or the kissing disease, is a virus that is transmitted through saliva. While you can, most certainly, get the virus by kissing someone with mono, you can also get it from being sneezed on, which kind of takes the romance out of it.
Who Gets Glandular Fever
Anyone can get mono. However, it is much more common in teens and young adults. For the most part, you are exposed to mono as a baby but the symptoms are not nearly as affecting as they are if you don't get it until you are older. Since it is common to be exposed to the virus at a young age, as you grow older your body builds up defense so that by the time you hit your thirties, mono is generally not a concern.
Symptoms of Glandular Fever
There are quite a few common symptoms associated with glandular fever. Being tired and weak is normal. Also, you may have swollen glands in the neck, a sore throat, swollen tonsils, fever and/or headache, possible skin rash, night sweats and a loss of appetite. Generally, the more severe symptoms of mono will go away in a couple of weeks with rest and diet. If, for some reason, they don't, see your physician.
Treating Glandular Fever
There is really not a lot you can do about mono other than get some rest, eat right and wait for the symptoms to go away. Certain conditions, however, may occur while you have glandular fever. Strep throat often accompanies mono, sinus infections are not uncommon, and occasionally, the tonsil can also become infected leading to tonsillitis. These can be treated with the antibiotics you would normally use to treat each type of infection. Corticosteroids can be used to treat some of the swelling in your throat and tonsils.
