How Long After Having Mono Can You Get Mono Again
- Most people will not be able to get mono twice in their life.
- That's because once you're infected with the virus that causes mono, it remains inactive in your body.
- Nonetheless, those who are immunocompromised may be at a higher take chances for the virus reactivating, and experiencing mono symptoms more than in one case.
- This article was medically reviewed by Kristine Arthur, Md, an internist at MemorialCare Medical Grouping in Laguna Wood, CA.
- Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more than advice.
Infectious mononucleosis, or mono for short, is spread by the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), a fellow member of the herpes family, through saliva or respiratory droplets.
More than ninety% of people worldwide are infected with EBV. The virus will remain inactive for many of these people, and they'll never take any symptoms of mono.
However, at least 25% of immature people who get infected with EBV volition develop symptoms of mono, according to the Centers for Illness Control and Prevention (CDC). Simply there'due south some good news — if you become mono, it's almost impossible to go it again. Here'due south why.
Can you lot get mono twice?
Once you've had mono, it's extremely unlikely that you'll get it over again months or even years subsequently.
When you've been infected with EBV, it remains in your throat and blood cells for the rest of your life — but is unremarkably latent, or inactive. Your allowed arrangement produces antibodies in your blood that help protect you against a recurrence of EBV.
"This will give yous permanent amnesty from catching the virus again," says Dimitar Marinov, MD, an banana professor in the department of hygiene and epidemiology at Medical University in Varna, Bulgaria. "That's the reason why you cannot become mononucleosis twice."
However, EBV may periodically reactivate in your torso, leading to higher levels of the virus in your saliva. Even if EBV does reactivate, there are usually no symptoms of mono in otherwise salubrious people, Marinov says.
However, you could possibly still spread EBV to others, regardless of how long it'due south been since you were first infected, the CDC notes. That's why mono can exist contagious long after you've displayed symptoms.
People with weak allowed systems are more likely to get mono twice
Notwithstanding, if you take a weakened or suppressed immune system, also known as existence immunocompromised, then you're more at risk of getting mono more than once. If you lot accept the following conditions, you are more likely to prove symptoms of mono if EBV reactivates.
- People with autoimmune diseases such equally lupus, multiple sclerosis, or rheumatoid arthritis
- People taking immunosuppressant medications, such as corticosteroids like prednisone, to treat autoimmune diseases
- Cancer patients
- People with AIDS
Although it is unclear what tin trigger a reactivation of EBV, it may be due to an activation of B cells — a type of white blood cells in your immune organisation — in response to an unrelated infection.
EBV invades your B cells and makes your body produce an excessive number of lymphocytes, the round white blood cells in your lymph tissues, and produce fewer neutrophils, the white blood cells that boost your immune system'due south power to fight infection.
EBV-invaded B cells may proliferate more than in people with weakened immune systems. This makes them more likely than people with good for you immune systems to have severe symptoms acquired by EBV.
In very rare cases, an EBV infection may develop into chronic active EBV (CAEBV). Instead of going dormant, EBV remains agile and can atomic number 82 to serious complications such equally a weakened allowed system, lymphomas, or organ failure. The just current cure for CAEBV is hematopoietic (blood cells) stalk jail cell transplantation.
People from Asia, South and Central America, and United mexican states are more at risk for CAEBV, and information technology'due south mostly caused past genetic factors. "In that location are people with genetic variations in their allowed cells who are more susceptible to a CAEBV infection," Marinov says.
Other common illnesses that you lot might error for mono
It'south rare that you'll actually get mono twice. So, if you've already had mono once, and yous think you're getting it again, it's more than probable that you actually have some other illness with like symptoms, such equally strep pharynx or influenza.
Mono symptoms unremarkably begin 4 to six weeks later on yous've been infected with EBV. The symptoms typically last from two to six or more weeks, which is much longer than they ordinarily final for other viral infections.
Dissimilar mono, the common flu is caused by an influenza virus that can exist transmitted non only through saliva, but through the air and by touching contaminated objects.
Influenza symptoms usually begin suddenly, before long afterwards you become infected, rather than over fourth dimension every bit they exercise with mono. The flu typically lasts from a week to 10 days.
And while mono and the flu are acquired by viruses, strep throat is caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria, so it can be treated with antibiotics and will unremarkably last less than i calendar week.
The lesser line
If you lot've already had mono, and think you may have it again, bank check with your doctor, who tin can determine if that'southward the case — or if you just have some other common affliction, like strep throat or influenza.
Withal, in some cases, serious conditions can also display symptoms like to mono. This includes hepatitis B, a virus that causes inflammation of the liver and has additional symptoms also those for mono, such as dark urine and yellowing of your pare. You should meet a dr. correct away if yous have these symptoms.
Related articles from Wellness Reference:
- How to treat mono and the best ways to relieve your symptoms
- How to tell if you have a fever without a thermometer
- 5 means to soothe a sore pharynx
Source: https://www.insider.com/can-you-get-mono-twice
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