Do you know the symptoms of kissing disease (an infection caused by kissing)?

 

Kissing disease is an infectious disease transmitted through kissing and is called infectious mononucleosis. It often occurs as the first infection with the EB virus after puberty, and symptoms such as fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes appear. It may be aggravated with complications such as spleen rupture, central nervous system symptoms, and blood disease. In this article, we will explain in detail the symptoms, causes, tests, and treatment of kissing disease.

What is kissing disease?

Kissing disease is another name for infectious mononucleosis. Acute pharyngitis and tonsillitis caused by the first infection with the EB virus. Symptoms such as fever and malaise may also be seen. Because it is transmitted through saliva, such as kissing, it is nicknamed kissing disease. Even if an infant is infected with the EB virus, it often passes asymptomatically.

What are the symptoms of kissing disease?

The main symptoms are fever, sore throat, and swelling of the cervical lymph nodes. In most cases of fever, a high fever of 38 degrees or higher lasts for 1 to 2 weeks. The throat turns red and petechiae are also visible. Swelling of the lymph nodes can be seen throughout the body and peaks around 2 weeks after onset, and it is characterized by being particularly easy to recognize in the neck. Other symptoms include malaise, eyelid swelling, headache, liver and spleen swelling, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and rash on the body or arms.

Even if infected in infancy and infancy, symptoms are asymptomatic or only mild cold symptoms, but the first infection after puberty shows symptoms of kissing disease. Even if kissing disease develops, in most cases, it will naturally lighten up. In prolonged cases, it may become severe with complications of the central nervous system and blood vessels.

Complications of the central nervous system

What are the complications of the central nervous system?

If the central nervous system is affected, complications such as:

• aseptic meningitis
• encephalitis
• acute hemiplegia
• Guillain-Barre syndrome (Guillain Valley syndrome)
• optic neuritis
• peripheral neuritis
• cranial nerve palsy
• transverse myelitis
• acute cerebellar ataxia
• lymphoma of the central nervous system

Complications of Blood Courtesy

What are the complications of blood etiquette?

Kissing disease can have hematological complications, such as:

• granulocytopenia
• thrombocytopenia
• Hemolytic anemia (destruction of blood cells by anti-i-specific antibodies)
• aplastic anemia
• other complications

What other complications are there?

In addition to central nervous system symptoms and blood diseases, kissing disease can also cause complications such as:

• rupture of the spleen
• Upper airway obstruction due to swelling of the airways
• liver dysfunction
• Myocarditis, pericarditis
• B cell lymphoma

Tell us about the causes of kissing disease.

The first infection with EB virus, a type of herpes virus, is the main cause of kissing disease. Once infected, antibodies are produced and reinfection is difficult, but the EB virus continues to hide in the body's lymphocytes. Symptoms such as fever and lymphedema recur when resistance is reduced.

It is thought that it is an overreaction of the cellular immune response that causes the symptoms of kissing disease with EB virus infection. As it is, the immune function, which works only to exclude the foreign virus, overreacts to the EB virus and attacks the body. Because cellular immunity is developed only after puberty rather than infancy, it is thought that symptoms are likely to appear strongly. Infectious mononucleosis-like symptoms can also occur when infected with cytomegalovirus, human immunodeficiency virus, human herpesvirus type 6, or toxoplasma protozoa.

How is kissing disease transmitted?

The saliva of the EB virus is recognized in about 15 to 20% of people who have been infected with the EB virus in the past, and they become infected with the saliva of the pre-infected person. It's called kissing disease because infectious mononucleosis is transmitted by kissing. In addition to kissing, it is also spread by twisting and drinking, moving mouths, sharing cutlery, such as chopsticks, spoons, and forks, and saliva blown by coughing or sneezing. Rarely, it can be transmitted through blood, such as a blood transfusion. The incubation period is long and ranges from 30 to 60 days.

What is kissing disease treatment?

If kissing disease is suspected, which department should I see?

Kissing disease is characterized by symptoms of a cold, such as a sore throat or fever, that are recognized for more than two weeks. Kissing is a viral disease, and antibiotics are ineffective. As with kissing disease, it is difficult to distinguish from bacterial tonsillitis, which causes cold symptoms such as throat symptoms and fever, so it would be desirable to see an otolaryngologist who can determine the course later. If symptoms or blood test levels do not improve even after the acute stage, there is a possibility that you will receive a thorough investigation by the hematology department.

kissing disease test

What tests are done if kissing disease is suspected?

A blood test is performed if any findings suggestive of kissing disease, such as swelling of the neck, swelling of the cervical lymph nodes, and swelling of the spleen or liver in palpation of the abdomen, are recognized in younger patients. Blood tests are done to check for an increased number of white blood cells, the presence of heterozygous lymphocytes, and liver dysfunction. Antibody test for VCA antibody, EA antibody, and EBNA antibody related to EB virus can confirm EB virus infection and determine whether the person has been infected with the EB virus for the first time or has been infected in the past. When VCA-IgM antibody develops and becomes positive only for a short time, later VCA-IgG antibody becomes positive, and then EBNA-IgG antibody becomes positive, it is the first infection with EB virus.

kissing disease treatment

How is kissing disease treated?

There is no specific treatment for kissing disease. It is a viral infection and antibiotics do not work. Rest and symptomatic treatment for each symptom is the treatment. Specifically, antipyretic analgesics are used for fever or sore throat, and steroids are used when airway swelling is accompanied or severe. As for the swelling of the liver or spleen, the liver or spleen may rupture if a strong impact is applied to the body.

If you cannot eat or drink because of severe neck pain, you may be hospitalized for treatment. The use of penicillin-based antibiotics is contraindicated due to the susceptibility to rashes on the skin. Kissing disease is a disease that usually gets better naturally within 4 to 6 weeks, but if the symptoms persist for more than 6 months, it can be considered aggravated.

Sex and age differences in kissing disease

Are there gender and age differences in kissing disease?

Because there is no obligation to report patients, the exact number of cases or gender differences are not known, but it occurs frequently in young people after puberty. EB virus is a herpes virus that most infects during infancy. In developed countries, it is known that about half of people are infected between the ages of 1-5. About 70% of people are infected by the age of 2 or 3, and by the age of 20, more than 90% of people have antibodies.

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Kissing disease is another name for infectious mononucleosis. It is a disease that is transmitted through saliva, such as kissing, turning, or sharing dishes and cutlery. The main symptoms are fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, swelling of the liver and spleen, and malaise. Usually, 4-6 weeks is a natural lightening. It may become severe with complications such as airway swelling, liver dysfunction, central nervous system symptoms, spleen rupture, and blood disease, so caution is required until recovery. The onset is more common in young people after puberty than in infants.