Mononucleosis, simply referred to as mono, is a contagious infection that usually results from Epstein-Barr virus. Since the virus is transmitted through saliva, mono is sometimes appropriately referred to as the “kissing disease”. Although mono can affect anyone irrespective of age, the illness is more pronounced among young adults and teens. Besides kissing, you can also get mononucleosis when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Sharing items such as food utensils with an infected person can also expose you to the virus that causes mono.Mononucleosis may also result from other viruses besides the Epstein-Barr. Typically, mono is not a very serious condition, and people who have had mono may not be infected again for the rest of their life since they develop immunity against the infection. However, the complications associated with mono can be more life-threatening than the infection itself.
