Kissing disease? Is there is something called that or is the self quarantine affecting my brain?
Yes, there is and it’s more common than you think. Infectious mononucleosis or kissing disease is caused by the Epstein Barr virus. It is spread by contact with oral secretions among young adults and from asymptomatic adults to infants during kissing.
The majority of asymptomatic but seropositive people shed the virus in saliva. The incubation period is long, ranging from 30-50 days(4-6 weeks).
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Most common: Oral ulceration is what many patients present at an ENT clinic.
Other symptoms are
Fever,fatigue,malaise,myalgia
Throat pain and difficult Swallowing
Enlarged tonsils
Signs
Pharyngitis. Tonsillitis with an exudative membrane over tonsils /pharynx It has to be distinguished from Diphtheria
Rash and redness over the palate
Lymph node swelling,
Skin rash
Enlarged liver/spleen
Rare presenting features
Facial nerve palsy
Guillen Barre Syndrome and other systemic manifestations
A characteristic serological test and atypical lymphocytes in peripheral blood help in diagnosis.
The Epstein Barr virus is linked to many diseases including
NPC-Nasopharyngeal cancer
Burkitt’s lymphoma
Hodgkins disease
B cell lymphoma in those with immunodeficiencies.
EBV infections occur worldwide and, most commonly, in childhood. But IM is a disease if a young adult. Have you heard of the kissing disease? Let me know in the comments below.
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