A highly contagious virus that you may not even think about if you are feeling a little under the weather is mononucleosis. Caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, this particular infection can be quite debilitating for a short period of time. It normally only lasts around a week, sometimes longer. But it causes a person to suffer from a fever, sore throat, swollen glands, and extreme fatigue. It can almost wipe a person out until it subsides.

A common concern is how do you get mono. Since it is such a contagious infection, it can be transmitted in several ways. Saliva is the most common form of transmission. This is why mono is also known as the kissing disease. The virus lives in saliva, so sharing toothbrushes and eating utensils is not a habit that you should encourage, especially in children. Besides saliva, mono can be transmitted through transfusions and sexual contact.

Mononucleosis can be diagnosed through a doctor. Once a diagnosis has been given, the usual treatment is to treat the symptoms of the virus. This includes rest, avoiding sports and heavy lifting, and mild pain relievers. The symptoms usually go away in about a week, but some people are out of commission for much longer. There are a few that suffer for months with the virus before it finally becomes dormant.

That is another thing to keep in mind when dealing with a case of mono. Once you have the virus, you will always have the virus inside of your body. You will not normally experience the illness again, but you will have the ability to transmit the virus to others around you. You should try to take the necessary precautions to avoid spreading the virus even after you have gotten completely better. You will not be contagious every day of the rest of your life, so you do not need to worry about that. But there will possibly be times when the virus will become more active and then you could pass it on to other people. In most cases, once the symptoms have gone and the virus is dormant, there will be no need to worry about it again.