Kissing Disease INFECTING

Kissing with loved ones can release the stress hormones and soothe the soul. But if condition of unhealthy body, kissing can turn into disaster.

When kissing, sometimes going on an exchange of saliva (saliva) between the two men. This fact can cause an infection known as mono or kissing disease.
Infectious mononucleosis (mono) is often called a kissing disease, this is because of this virus that causes infection is spread through saliva during kissing.



There are also some other conditions that could be a factor that is spread through coughing, sneezing or sharing eating utensils and drinking together. The cause of this infection is Epstein-Barr virus.

As quoted from the Mayo Clinic, Friday (6/25/2010) there are some common symptoms that occur when infecting adolescents are fever, sore throat, fatigue and swollen lymph nodes.

But if it occurs in children usually have no symptoms or very mild symptoms. People who are infected usually do not show symptoms for 4-8 weeks after exposure.

This virus will pass through the saliva and into the outer epithelial cells of the mouth and throat, this condition allows the virus to multiply and infect white blood cells called B cells

Viral infection of B cells led to the spread of viruses throughout the lymph glands and lymphatic system (known by the lymphoreticular system).

Epstein-Barr virus can cause several serious illnesses in people who have immune system disorders, such as people with HIV / AIDS or people taking drugs to suppress immunity after an organ transplant.

There are several complications that may caused by Epstein-Barr virus infection, namely:

Enlarged spleen
One of the significant complications of this disease is kissing enlarged spleen. In some extreme cases can cause the spleen rupture or pain that arises suddenly in the top left side of the stomach.

Disorders of the liver
Problems in the liver that can happen is the hepatitis, which is a mild liver inflammation. And jaundice (jaudice), which is the yellowing of skin and the whites of the eyes also change to yellow.

Other complications rarely occur
Kissing disease can also lead to other complications that are rare or less common, ie anemia, thrombocytopenia (decreased platelet count), inflammation of the heart, complications involving the nervous system (meningitis, encephalitis and Guillain-Barre syndrome) or swollen tonsils that make breathing hampered .

Since many healthy people who carry Epstein-Barr virus in saliva without showing symptoms, it is almost impossible to prevent the spread of this disease. One of the precautions which can be done is increase the body's immune system.