Can I Get it Again?

You hear about it all the time—someone who already had mono has it again—but does this really happen? It seems like you may have heard that once someone contracts mononucleosis, they can't get it again. So, who's right? Can mono recur?

Most of the time, people who come down with the disease known as infectious mononucleosis, also known as "mono," only get it the one time. In rare cases, however, people have been known to have a recurrence of mononucleosis months or perhaps even years later.

Mononucleosis is almost always caused by infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Once someone is infected with EBV, the germ stays in their body forever. In other words, you're a carrier of the virus. The virus tends to stay in a dormant or inactive state for the rest of your life. From time to time, however, the virus can go into its active state. When this happens, the virus can be seen in a person's saliva. Even though the virus can be seen, its presence is not really felt, since you're not liable to feel ill during this time.

A Blue Moon

Once in a blue moon, a reactivated EBV may cause illness in those people who have weakened immune systems, for instance, those with AIDS.

Worthy of note is the fact that mononucleosis may sometimes lead to a serious condition known as chronic active EBV infection, which manifests in persistent illness for longer than six months after your doctor makes the initial diagnosis of mononucleosis.

If you think that you or a loved one may be experiencing recurrent symptoms of mononucleosis, you should consult your doctor so that he can determine the cause of the symptoms. There are many other conditions whose symptoms can mimic those of mononucleosis. Such conditions include hepatitis and toxoplasmosis, among others. While mononucleosis can lead to an enlarged spleen, with the possibility of a rupture in that organ, liver ailments such as hepatitis and jaundice, anemia, thrombocytopenia, heart inflammation, nervous system complications (such as Guillain-Barre syndrome, encephalitis, meningitis) and swollen tonsils which may obstruct breathing, other ailments that have copycat symptoms of mono may have other, very different complications and ramifications for your health. A proper diagnosis is the obvious path to the best treatment and fastest recovery possible.

Keep a Journal

If you suspect that all is not right with your health, start keeping a journal of your symptoms and bring it along with you to show your doctor. Your journal may be the key to helping your doctor determine what's ailing you, and that's a step in the right direction.