Glandular fever is also called the kissing disease or glandular fever. It occurs most often in children and adolescents. Young children are rarely ill from it, but adolescents and young adults can be ill for a long time. Glandular fever is contagious and is caused by a virus. Children infect each other through saliva-contaminated food or toys. Sharing a can of soft drink can also cause contamination. Severe symptoms mainly occur in teenagers, teenagers and adolescents. Treatment is often not necessary, the child heals on its own.
What is glandular fever?
This disease is named after the German doctor Emil Pfeiffer. Glandular fever is also called glandular fever. Another name is infectious mononucleosis. This is a disease of the lymphatic system.
The lymphatic system runs parallel to the blood vessel system. The lymph in the lymphatic vessels has a purifying effect. In addition, the lymphatic system ensures drainage. The lymphatic system comes together in certain places in lymph nodes. The lymph is the fluid that is absorbed from the tissues. The fluid passes through at least one lymph node. The waste products are removed there. We also find white blood cells here that fight infections.
In glandular fever, a virus causes an infection of the lymphatic system. This affects the lymphatic system and therefore the immune system. After all, the lymphatic system plays an important role in the immune system.
Children often get it
Most adults have had glandular fever at some point. They often get this at a young age, but it can also be contracted during puberty. In general, the disease has often been diagnosed before the age of 20. Because not everyone becomes ill at the same time, it is not always clear whether someone has already had the disease. The symptoms are much more noticeable in adolescents and young adults.
Cause
The cause of the disease is a virus, namely the Epstein-Barr virus. This virus falls under the herpes virus. The virus not only causes mononucleosis, but also cancer of the lymphocytes (white blood cells). This does not mean that everyone who is infected with the virus will also develop cancer. Fortunately, this is often not the case. The virus is spread through saliva. It is therefore also called the kissing disease. But not only kissing spreads saliva, but also sharing a can of soda.
Symptoms
This disease is more common in boys than in girls. It occurs most often in children and young adults under 20 years of age. Yet the symptoms are not always properly recognized. This is because it is mild in young children. In adolescents and young adults, the disease presents with the typical characteristics attributed to this disease. The latter group is often quite ill from it.
In young children, the first symptoms begin 4 to 10 days after infection. They appear to have contracted the flu. They are hangry and tire quickly. The throat becomes inflamed. This makes them weepy and they often grab their throat. More than half of all children contracted the disease before the age of six.
Adolescents and young adults are much sicker. For them, the first symptoms occur approximately 4 to 7 weeks after infection. Lethargy and fatigue first occur, accompanied by fever and headache. Until then it appears to be the flu. There is nausea and vomiting and often a stiff neck. The lymph nodes become swollen and can sometimes be clearly felt. The liver can become inflamed. The whites of the eyes then turn yellow. When the spleen becomes inflamed, there is abdominal pain on the left side of the abdomen.
Prevent contamination
It is almost impossible to prevent infection. Children in particular often exchange saliva unintentionally. Think of toys that are put in the mouth or kissing each other. Someone who is (or has been) infected carries the virus for a long time and can infect others. Vaccination against the virus is not possible. During an infection, immunity is built up against the virus. This immunity is lifelong. The disease cannot therefore be contracted a second time.
Treatment and recovery
Research is needed to find out whether it is glandular fever. This requires blood tests. When infected, antibodies are found in the blood. Treatment with antibiotics is not possible. After all, this is a virus, not a bacteria. A virus cannot be eliminated because it uses our own body cells as a host. If the virus were killed, the body’s own cells would also be killed.
Without treatment, the disease heals on its own. The throat infection often disappears after two weeks. The enlargement of the lymph nodes can last three weeks. The fatigue lasts the longest: it can last up to four months. It is better not to share cutlery, eating utensils, toys, toothbrushes or other objects that come into contact with saliva during the period of illness, but also the period afterwards. These materials must be washed hot. Kissing is also not recommended. The child can go to school if he feels well. Especially the older child may experience this as tiring. After all, the fatigue can persist for a long time.
