Mononucleosis In Adults - Signs And Symptoms Of Chronic Mononucleosis In Adults, Consequences

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Signs and symptoms of chronic mononucleosis in adults

Mononucleosis or glandular fever, monocytic angina, Pfeifer's disease, etc. is a disease caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. In the clinical characteristics, the following are distinguished - fever, generalized lymphadenopathy, tonsillitis, enlarged liver and spleen, characteristic changes in the blood count. In some cases, the disease can take on a chronic form.

Epstein-Barr virus - is a human B-lymphotropic virus, belongs to the group of herpes viruses. It can hide for a long time in the cells of an infected person in the form of a dormant infection, therefore the source of infection is a sick person or a carrier of the virus. Basically, people under 40 are sick, after the illness they all develop a strong immunity to mononucleosis.

The virus is released into the environment from the last days of the incubation period. Duration - 6-18 months. The transmission mechanism of the Epstein-Barr virus is airborne, through a kiss, dirty hands, dishes, hygiene items. Blood transfusion and childbirth from an infected mother.

There is a high degree of susceptibility to infection, but with infection, both mild and erased clinical forms can develop. The spread of infection occurs everywhere, there are no epidemic outbreaks, there is an increased incidence in girls at the age of 14-16 and in boys at the age of 16-18. In case of infection with the virus at an older age, the disease does not have pronounced symptoms.

Since most adults usually have specific immunity by the age of 30-35, the clinical course of the disease is rare. Inhalation of air with a virus in humans damages the epithelial cells of the upper respiratory tract, pharyngeal pharynx. Moderate inflammation of the mucous membrane develops, with the flow of lymph the infection enters the nearby lymph nodes, which contributes to the appearance of lymphadenitis.

In the blood, the virus captures B-lymphocytes, and begins to actively spread. As a result, reactions of a specific nature are formed, and pathological cell damage is formed. The pathogen is transported through the blood vessels throughout the body, reaching important organs. The Epstein-Barr virus lives in the human body all life, if immunity decreases, it manifests its negative effect.

Sometimes weakness, malaise, catarrhal symptoms can be noted and if you do not take action and do not establish an accurate diagnosis in such cases, there is a gradual increase in symptoms. Weakness increases, the temperature rises, nasal congestion, difficulty breathing, perspiration and sore throat appear. In the acute period, there is increased sweating, intoxication.

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Patients complain of muscle aches, headache, pain when swallowing. Fever torments the patient for several days, and even a month, the course may be different. After a week, the disease should go into an exacerbation phase. General intoxication, tonsillitis, swelling of the lymph nodes, enlargement of the liver and spleen are manifested.

The patient's condition may deteriorate significantly. You can find in the throat catarrhal, ulcerative-necrotic processes, filmy or follicular sore throat with intense redness of the tonsil mucosa, yellowish and friable plaque. Examination reveals granularity of the posterior pharyngeal wall and mucosal hemorrhages.

From the first days of the disease, multiple lesions of the glands (polyadenopathy) occur. An increase in lymph nodes is easily detected in almost any area accessible for examination by palpation. Most often, the occipital, submandibular nodes are affected. In the process of palpation, the density of the lymph nodes is determined, usually they are dense, mobile, painless or with mild pain.

There is edema of the surrounding tissue, yellowness of the sclera and skin, dark urine is released and dyspepsia appears. There are frequent spots, papules and various rashes, the place of their localization is different. The rash passes quickly, there is no itching, burning of the skin. The acute period lasts about 2-3 weeks. Then the time comes for a gradual subsiding of clinical symptoms and the process of restoring the normal vital activity of the body begins.

The body temperature is normalized, the signs of angina disappear, the liver and spleen acquire their natural dimensions. It happens that for several more weeks there are signs of adenopathy and subfebrile condition. With a chronic recurrent course, the period of the disease is prolonged.

Consequences of mononucleosis in adults

Complications with mononucleosis can be absent or very severe, sometimes the disease ends in death. One of the causes of death is a ruptured spleen. There are known cases of severe hepatitis, tachycardia, psychosis, and kidney inflammation.

Paralysis of facial muscles, cranial nerves occurs.

Sometimes you have to treat pneumonia along the way, to deal with eyelid swelling. Narrowing of the larynx (airway obstruction) is possible, requiring urgent surgery. Treatment should be carried out in a timely manner, if at the first signs of the disease to seek help from a doctor, the consequences of mononucleosis can be avoided.

Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist

Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".