That’s why doctors urge everyone to wash their hands well and often. Because EBV is so sneaky, infections are common. The bottom line is that it’s hard to prevent mono from spreading. So there’s a very small chance that people who have had mono in the past can pass it to others, even when they feel OK. That person might not feel ill or show any mono symptoms, but can spread the virus to other people.

Sometimes the dormant virus can “wake up” and find its way into a person’s saliva (spit). Then, the virus stays dormant (inactive) in the body for the rest of a person’s life. Health experts aren’t sure how long people with mono stay contagious after symptoms are gone, but it seems they can spread the infection for months after that. People are definitely contagious while they have symptoms, which can last 2–4 weeks or even longer. In fact, most people have been infected with EBV by the time they reach adulthood. So they may not know they have been infected, but they can still pass it to others. Long COVID could be symptoms of a completely different dormant (or inactive) virus like the Epstein-Barr virus, the virus which causes mononucleosis, or mono. To make things even more confusing, some people can carry the virus without ever getting any mono symptoms. This means it doesn’t immediately cause symptoms and isn’t necessarily infectious, but it could cause symptoms down the road.

It takes a while for mono symptoms (like tiredness, fever, muscle aches, headache, or sore throat) to show up - about 1–2 months, in fact. But they may not know that they have the virus. People who have mono can be contagious from the time they first become infected. Mono, or mononucleosis, usually is caused by an infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). But the virus can surface from time to time and risk infecting someone else. If you get mono, the virus stays in your body for life. This fatiguability might resolve in few weeks or take months to resolve completely.The way mono works in the body is tricky, so lots of people are confused about how long it is contagious. Most of the acute symptoms such as fever, sore throat, and lymphadenopathy are resolved but fatiguability, lack of energy can be present along with less physical strength. Acute stage lasts for about 2 to 6 week, the individual may be very sick and the classic symptoms of mono which are pharyngitis, moderate-to-high fever and generalized lymphadenopathy in the neck, axilla, groin are seen. In this stage non-specific symptoms are present. The symptoms seen during the prodrome stage are fatigue, malaise and mild headache. Prodrome stage lasts for about 3 to 5 days. Prodrome stage, Acute stage, and Convalescent stage. Mono or infectious mononucleosis has an incubation period of 4 to 6 weeks. That depends on the individual and its different in each individual.

This fatiguability might resolve in few weeks or take months to resolve completely. It’s actually like a recovery stage most of the acute symptoms such as fever, sore throat, lymphadenopathy are resolved but fatiguability, lack of energy can be present along with less physical strength. This is the last stage of mono it usually lasts for about 2-6 months. Other than that generalized malaise, weakness, muscle aches, and a rash also seen during this stage.Ĭonvalescent Stage. The individual may be very sick and the classic symptoms of mono which are pharyngitis (sore throat), moderate-to-high fever and generalized lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes) in the neck, axilla, groin are seen in the individual. In severe cases temperature will be about 40✬ and it will last for about 2 weeks or longer. Soon after the prodrome stage symptoms, fever occurs with a temperature of 39✬ and it might be present for the next 6 days. There are more symptoms present at this stage, usually this stage lasts for about 2 to 6 weeks.

Mono symptoms