When is glandular fever not contagious

The incubation period of glandular fever is about 4—7 weeks [ Lennon, ]. The disease is contagious during the incubation period and while symptoms are present; some people may be contagious for as long as 18 months after having the infection.

Epstein-Barr virus EBV infection leads to a lifelong latent carrier state the virus remains in the body lifelong. Find out what to expect and what the results mean.

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You have to let this infection run its course and treat the symptoms to make…. Mono rash is one symptom of the viral infection, mononucleosis. The more common symptoms are fever, fatigue, and a sore throat. If you have these…. Mono treatment consists mainly of rest, fluids, and pain relief. Since mono is a viral infection, it's usually caused by the Epstein-Bar virus….

While there is little your GP can do in terms of treatment other than provide advice and support, blood tests may be needed to rule out less common but more serious causes of your symptoms, such as hepatitis a viral infection that affects the liver. EBV is most often spread through the saliva of someone who carries the infection. When you come into contact with infected saliva, the virus can infect the cells on the lining of your throat.

The infection is then passed into your white blood cells before spreading through the lymphatic system. This is a series of glands nodes found throughout your body that allows many of the cells that your immune system needs to travel around the body. After the infection has passed, people develop lifelong immunity to the virus and most won't develop symptoms again.

Many people are first exposed to EBV during childhood, when the infection causes few symptoms and often goes unrecognised before it eventually passes. Young adults may be most at risk of glandular fever because they might not have been exposed to the virus when they were younger, and the infection tends to produce more severe symptoms when you're older. Not everyone who can pass on EBV will have symptoms themselves.

These are known as asymptomatic carriers. Some people can have the virus in their saliva for a few months after recovering from glandular fever, and may continue to have the virus in their saliva on and off for years. This is because the virus remains inactive in the body for the rest of your life after you have been exposed to it. For most people, the inactive virus won't cause any symptoms.

However, there is a chance of the virus periodically becoming reactivated, which may mean it re-enters the saliva. This reactivation may be without any symptoms, or it may cause symptoms to recur for a short time. There is currently no cure for glandular fever, but the symptoms should pass within a few weeks.

There are things you can do to help control your symptoms. It is important to drink plenty of fluids preferably water or unsweetened fruit juice to avoid dehydration.

Painkillers available over the counter, such as paracetamol or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs such as ibuprofen , can help reduce pain and fever. Children under 16 years old should not take aspirin because there is a small risk it could trigger a rare but serious health condition called Reye's syndrome.

Regularly gargling with a solution of warm, salty water may also help relieve your sore throat. It is important you take plenty of rest while you recover from glandular fever, although complete bed rest is no longer recommended because it may make the fatigue last longer.

You should gradually increase your activities as your energy levels return, but avoid activities you cannot manage comfortably. For the first month after your symptoms begin, avoid contact sports or activities that put you at risk of falling.

This is because you may have a swollen spleen that it is more vulnerable to damage, and a sudden knock could cause it to burst rupture. There is no need to be isolated from others if you have glandular fever as most people will already be immune to the Epstein-Barr virus EBV.

You can return to work, college or school as soon as you feel well enough. There is little risk of spreading the infection to others as long as you follow commonsense precautions while you are ill, such as not kissing other people or sharing utensils. It is also important to thoroughly clean anything that may have been contaminated by saliva until you have recovered.

Antibiotics are not effective in treating glandular fever because they have no effect on viruses, but they may be prescribed if you also develop a bacterial infection of your throat or lungs pneumonia. A short course of corticosteroids may also be helpful if:.

Most people are able to recover from glandular fever at home, but hospital treatment may be necessary for a few days if you or your child:. Treatment in hospital may involve receiving fluids or antibiotics directly into a vein intravenously , corticosteroid injections and pain relief. In a small number of cases, emergency surgery to remove the spleen splenectomy may be needed if it ruptures. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission.

Glandular fever, or infectious mononucleosis, is common among teenagers, young adults, and college students. Some symptoms include a fever, a sore throat, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes. Glandular fever usually stems from an infection with the Epstein-Barr virus EBV , a highly contagious herpes virus. However, it does not always cause symptoms or lead to glandular fever. There is no cure for glandular fever, which usually passes without treatment.

However, the fatigue can be long-lasting. Cytomegalovirus infection and rubella, known as German measles , can also cause glandular fever, while toxoplasmosis , a parasitic infection, can cause similar symptoms.

When a person develops glandular fever, the symptoms usually appear 4—6 weeks after the initial infection. The symptoms tend to resolve within 2—4 weeks , though the fatigue may last for a few more weeks. Some people experience symptoms for 6 months or longer. Some people have EBV infections but no symptoms. This is more common in younger children and people over 40 years old. The soreness can be mild, but it is often severe and occurs with redness and swelling, similar to tonsilitis.

Swallowing is often painful. If what seems like severe tonsillitis lasts longer than usual, the person may have glandular fever. As the immune system fights the virus, the lymph nodes swell. The swelling can occur in any lymph node, but those in the neck and armpits are usually the most prominent. They may be tender. The spleen is part of the immune system, and it sits under the ribs on the left side of the abdomen.

The spleen may also swell as the body combats the virus, and the person may be able to feel it beneath their ribs. The swelling may cause mild pain in the upper left part of the abdomen.