Did you know that kissing can cause mononucleosis? Infectious mononucleosis is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. The virus can also be spread by coughing, sneezing or sharing the same eating and drinking utensils. Infectious mononucleosis (glandular fever) is a common viral illness characterized by high fever, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, sore throat and enlarged lymph nodes throughout the body. Sore throat is the most common complaint and usually presents as a sore throat with grayish-whitish plaques on the palate and tonsils. Mononucleosis is most often found in adolescents and young adults. To prove the risk of transmission of infectious mononucleosis through contact with a kiss, researchers from the University of Minnesota tracked the health data of 546 students. The results showed that 66 of the study participants had mononucleosis. They gave a positive answer to the question about recent contact by kissing. The risk is present only with the so-called “deep” kiss. The results of the study were published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
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