Infectious mononucleosis, symptoms and treatment of disease

In the practice of infectious diseases, quite often There is a mononucleosis, the symptoms of which are manifested by angina, pathological changes in lymphoid tissue, organs involved in hematopoiesis, and inflammation of the lymph nodes. The disease is also called monocytic angina or Filatov-Pfeiffer disease. This is an acute disease of a viral cause. The causative agent is the Epstein-Barr virus, which got its name in honor of scientists who first described this disease.

Causes and pathogenesis of the disease

The causative agent belongs to the family of herpesviruses. As a result of its entry into the body, mononucleosis develops, the symptoms of which can have different intensities. Penetrating into the body, the virus replicates in lymphocytes, causing their blast transformation. The virus is a person with mononucleosis or a carrier of a virus with a latent form of the disease. Transmission of the pathogen occurs through the air, during communication, medical procedures, and also vertically. Carrier may persist for several months after the illness. In the vast majority of cases, mononucleosis occurs in mild form or has a latent flow. In young children who are breastfed, the disease is almost not found, due to passive immunity transmitted from the mother. Often ill adolescents. This is associated with increased hormonal changes and body growth. Symptoms of mononucleosis in an adult are less common, and at an average age in the blood, antibodies to this virus are often detected. The disease has no seasonality, it can be found during any season of the year.

Intruding into the nasopharyngeal mucosa, the virus hematogenously penetrates into the lymph nodes and other organs of the lymphatic system, causing the formation of specific mononuclears in the blood.

How does mononucleosis, symptoms and disease management

The latent period of the disease is approximately two to four weeks. The disease can occur without visible manifestations, in which case the person is the carrier of the virus. A typical mononucleosis, the symptoms of which can be very diverse, begin with a prodromal period. The temperature rises, begins to perspire and sore throat, angina develops. Many have rhinitis, edema and nasal obstruction, lymph nodes increase. All of the above symptoms are accompanied by intoxication and poor health. Often there is an increase in the size of the spleen and liver.

The response of the body to infection is an increase in the number of leukocytes, the number of other blood elements, such as eosinophils, lymphocytes, neutrophils.

The diagnosis of "infectious mononucleosis", the symptoms of which are hidden, are exposed on the basis of the detection in the peripheral blood of mononuclear cells specific for this disease. Visually, these are cells with a huge nucleus and a wide band of cytoplasm.

The duration of the disease is about five to six weeks, and the number of blood cells returns to normal in just a few months. Mononucleosis can have a wavy course, and episodes of exacerbation in mild form are repeated at intervals of several months or years. Complications of the disease, as a rule, does not have, only in very rare cases can there be a rupture of the enlarged spleen, develop hemolysis of blood or hepatitis.

Uncomplicated form of the disease usually does not require specific medication. Appoint antipyretic drugs, analgesic therapy. During the week, the general condition comes back to normal. In more severe cases, sometimes resort to the use of hormonal drugs, such as prednisolone or dexamethasone. A patient with this course of mononucleosis is hospitalized in a hospital.