How likely is it that I can spread mono from one person to the other?!
Question: My roommate was just diagnosed with mono on Tuesday. I didn't spend much time with her, and later that evening I went over to my significant other's apartment. Today he's feeling really sick with a sore throat and has a 103 degree fever. The dr's said it might be strep but are waiting for the results. I'm afraid that I may have been a carrier for mono because I know these are two signs of the disease. I had it years ago so I know it is extremely unlikely for me to get the disease myself. What are all of your takes on this?
Answers: My roommate was just diagnosed with mono on Tuesday. I didn't spend much time with her, and later that evening I went over to my significant other's apartment. Today he's feeling really sick with a sore throat and has a 103 degree fever. The dr's said it might be strep but are waiting for the results. I'm afraid that I may have been a carrier for mono because I know these are two signs of the disease. I had it years ago so I know it is extremely unlikely for me to get the disease myself. What are all of your takes on this?
He would not have gotten that sick, that quick with mono. It takes a few days if not weeks.
Pretty easy. I got it in 7th grade from a water fountain. I was sick for a year and half.
Mono (while it is not a disease, it is a symptom) depends solely on which virus is responsible for it. All the accountants you hear that people get it from inanimate objects, like door handles and stuff is crap. Most people obtain the virus (which causes mono) from others who are pre-viral shedding. most of the contagiousness of a person occurs before they show any symptoms at all. It also depends on the state of your immune system. If you have neccesary sleep, are eating well, didn't realize have surgery, and your stress level is low, your immune system is prime and not much will penetrate. And yes, you may have already been exposed to that particular virus, (not the mono because its nothing but a symptom) and therefore you are immune to reinfection. Or you could gotten it from your roomate but you just showed no symptoms, very common. Hence, why people think they get mono twice and hear they can only get it once. Yes and No. Similar symptoms to mono are prevalent in other viral strains and therefore could be another mono from another virus or simply misdiagnosed. You can only get the virus once, at which point you will have a high antibody titer to protect from reinfection. This titer goes down over the years, but for time sake, (assuming you aren't 65 years old) you would be immune being infected once.