SkipdirectlytositecontentSkipdirectlytopageoptionsSkipdirectlytoA-ZlinkEpstein-BarrVirusandInfectiousMononucleosisSectionNavigationCDCHomeFacebookTwitterLinkedInSyndicateAboutInfectiousMononucleosisEspañol(Spanish)MinusRelatedPagesOnThisPageSymptomsTransmissionPrevention&TreatmentDiagnosingInfectiousMononucleosisInfectiousmononucleosis,alsocalled“mono,”isacontagiousdisease.Epstein-Barrvirus(EBV)isthemostcommoncauseofinfectiousmononucleosis,butothervirusescanalsocausethisdisease.Itiscommonamongteenagersandyoungadults,especiallycollegestudents.AtleastoneoutoffourteenagersandyoungadultswhogetinfectedwithEBVwilldevelopinfectiousmononucleosis.SymptomsTypicalsymptomsofinfectiousmononucleosisusuallyappearfourtosixweeksafteryougetinfectedwithEBV.Symptomsmaydevelopslowlyandmaynotalloccuratthesametime.Thesesymptomsinclude:extremefatiguefeversorethroatheadandbodyachesswollenlymphnodesintheneckandarmpitsswollenliverorspleenorbothrashEnlargedspleenandaswollenliverarelesscommonsymptoms.Forsomepeople,theirliverorspleenorbothmayremainenlargedevenaftertheirfatigueends.Mostpeoplegetbetterintwotofourweeks;however,somepeoplemayfeelfatiguedforseveralmoreweeks.Occasionally,thesymptomsofinfectiousmononucleosiscanlastforsixmonthsorlonger.TransmissionEBVisthemostcommoncauseofinfectiousmononucleosis,butothervirusescancausethisdisease.Typically,thesevirusesspreadmostcommonlythroughbodilyfluids,especiallysaliva.However,thesevirusescanalsospreadthroughbloodandsemenduringsexualcontact,bloodtransfusions,andorgantransplantations.Otherinfectionsthatcancauseinfectiousmononucleosis:Cytomegalovirus(CMV)ToxoplasmosisHIVRubellaHepatitisA,B,orCAdenovirusPrevention&TreatmentThereisnovaccinetoprotectagainstinfectiousmononucleosis.Youcanhelpprotectyourselfbynotkissingorsharingdrinks,food,orpersonalitems,liketoothbrushes,withpeoplewhohaveinfectiousmononucleosis.Youcanhelprelievesymptomsofinfectiousmononucleosisby—drinkingfluidstostayhydratedgettingplentyofresttakingover-the-countermedicationsforpainandfeverI