What is Mononucleosis?

Generally, monocytosis refers to infectious mononucleosis, an acute self-limiting infectious disease caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. A detailed analysis is as follows:

Infectious mononucleosis is primarily transmitted through saliva, such as by kissing or sharing eating utensils, and commonly occurs in children and adolescents. The pathogenesis involves EBV infection of B lymphocytes, leading to abnormal proliferation and differentiation of lymphocytes and triggering a series of immune responses. Clinically, it mainly presents with fever, pharyngitis, and lymphadenopathy, and may be accompanied by hepatosplenomegaly, rash, and other symptoms. Atypical lymphocytes can be observed in the peripheral blood. Most patients have a good prognosis, and the disease course is self-limiting, typically resolving spontaneously within 2–4 weeks; however, a few cases may develop severe complications such as hemophagocytic syndrome.

In daily life, attention should be paid to personal hygiene, good hygiene habits should be developed, hands should be washed frequently, especially before meals and after using the toilet, to reduce the chance of hand-to-mouth transmission of the virus. Avoid sharing eating utensils, cups, or other personal items with others, and refrain from kissing others indiscriminately, particularly children, to reduce the risk of infection.