Mononucleosis :: essays research papers

mononucleosisMononucleosis is an infectious unhealthiness of humans in which the telephone line andtissues contain mononuclear leukocytes (white blood cells with only one nucleus), either monocytes or lymphocytes. An infectious disease is a disease that ceasegive you an infection, can be transmitted by infection without actual contact,or can be caused by a microorganism. All species of animals are afflicted withinfections caused by a wide variety of organisms, from submicroscopic viruses towormlike parasites. When a person has an infectious disease like mono theorganism gains access to the patients body, survives, and then multiples. Next,the patient gets the symptoms. Then the patient may die or recoverspontaneously, or the infection may respond to specific therapy. Often there isan immunity. Infectious diseases have strongly influenced the course of historyon Earth. The organisms responsible for human infections are viruses. Virusesare unsophisticated life forms consisting o f nucleic acid, encoding genetic information ,and surface components of protein that enable them to enter cells. Viruses areunable to multiple outside of cells. Mono is found in the desoxyribonucleic acid in the body.Another name for mononucleosis is glandular fever because of the fever andswelling of the lymph nodes throughout the body. What causes mononucleosis isthe Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is like herpes. The herpes virus besidescauses some cases of mono and other diseases. Mono usually occurs in adults 15to 30 years old, but is known to appear at any age.     Mono symptoms include fever, chills, fatigue, malaise, sore throat,head-aches, swelling of the lymph nodes (noticeable in the neck), and skinrashes. Liver inflammation may occur. Also, swelling of the upper eyelids is acommon symptom. In some cases blood may be found in the urine. The throat isoften red a membrane, white to dark gray in color and resembling that ofdiphtheria, may be present. In many cases there is a petechial rash on the softpalate. Mono is mostly transmitted by oral contact with exchange of saliva,that is why it is sometimes known as the " kissing disease. " Sharing a cup isanother way to get mono. It is not highly contagious. The incubation period is persuasion to be about 30 to 40 days. In about two/thirds of the patients thespleen is enlarged. The illness is mild to moderate, death is rare, but in somecases a patient may die of rupturing the spleen. A rash consisting of smallhemorrhages or resembling measles or scarlet fever sometimes appears. Also,pneumonia occurs in about 2 percent of the infected patients.