A doctor yesterday urged parents to avoid kissing young children on the lips or feeding them food that has been bitten, to prevent infectious mononucleosis — also known as “kissing disease,” which refers to a group of symptoms caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).
Huang Chung-ming (黃中明), a pediatrician at Kuang Tien General Hospital’s Dajia Branch, said he treated a three-year-old boy who initially had flu-like symptoms, which included coughing, a runny nose, fatigue and a high fever.
The boy was taken to a doctor at a local clinic by his parents, who thought he had the flu, he said.
The boy took flu medicine for three days, but his symptoms did not improve, so his parents took him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with suppurative tonsillitis, as well as a swollen liver and spleen, Huang said, adding that after undergoing serological tests and an abdominal ultrasound, he was diagnosed with an EBV infection.
Huang said EBV is a common virus in humans, and about 90 percent of adults would be infected with it in their lifetime.
Once infected with EBV, the virus remains in a person’s body for life, but most infections go unnoticed or produce only mild symptoms, he said, adding that if symptoms are experienced, they are initially similar to those of a flu infection, such as fatigue, fever, coughing and a runny nose.
However, serious symptoms can include suppurative tonsillitis, which can make it difficult to swallow or breathe, or an enlarged spleen, which could rupture, Huang said.
EBV is most commonly spread through bodily fluids, especially saliva, so parents should avoid eating food with the same utensils as their children, giving them food that has been bitten, or kissing them on the mouth, Huang said, adding that children’s toys should be regularly sterilized.
Parents should be concerned if their children’s flu-like symptoms do not improve after treatment, he said, adding that an EBV infection cannot be treated with antibiotics, but symptoms usually clear up on their own in a few weeks and patients should rest and drink plenty of water.
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