Glandular fever, more commonly known today as infectious mononucleosis or Epstein-Barr virus, often affects people between the ages of 10 and 25. Epstein-Barr virus, sometimes shortened to EBV, is highly infectious. Fifty percent of young adults who haven't had the infection develop it after contact with an infected person, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh states. Around 50 percent of children 5 and under and 95 percent of all adults have EBV antibodies indicating previous infection, the Merck Manual reports. EBV has a very long incubation period; it takes around 4 to 8 weeks, MayoClinic.com explains, before symptoms appear.
Extreme Fatigue
Glandular fever often starts with feelings of extreme fatigue and weakness. While symptoms of the infection start to fade after several weeks, the fatigue can continue, sometimes for months, the Merck Manual states. Fatigue is worse in the first two to three weeks of the illness.
Fever
Fever, often as high as 103 F, appears early in glandular fever and worsens in the afternoon and evening. Fever can last as long as a few weeks, MayoClinic.com states.
Sore Throat
The sore throat of glandular fever can be severe, with pus or a white coating and swelling on the tonsils. Sore throat may persist for several weeks. Swollen tonsils can impede breathing in rare cases. Lymph nodes in the neck and elsewhere also become swollen and painful to touch. Swollen lymph nodes may be the only sign of disease in some people, the Merck Manual states.
Generalized Effects
Headache, night sweats, muscles aches, flu-like symptoms and skin rashes may occur. People who take the antibiotic ampicillin while they have glandular fever most often develop rashes, the Merck Manual states. Anemia, low red blood count and thrombocytopenia, low platelets count can occur in rare cases.
Liver and Spleen Enlargement
The spleen, found on the left upper side of the abdomen, can enlarge and become tender to touch. The spleen rupture in 0.1 to 0.2 percent of cases of glandular fever, Netdoctor UK states. Liver damage, with jaundice, a yellowish coloring of the skin and whites of the eyes, occurs in some people.
Facial Swelling
Swelling or puffiness around the eyes occurs in 20 percent of cases of glandular fever at the beginning of the infection, Netdoctor UK reports. Puffiness normally disappears after a day or two.
Central Nervous System Effects
Rarely, glandular fever causes seizures, behavior changes, nerve damage, encephalitis or meningitis, the Merck Manual says. Guillain-Barre syndrome, a temporary paralysis, may occur rarely.
