Mononucleosis is a viral infectious disease. For the first time, Dr. Filatov pointed out its infectious nature in 1887. A little later, in 1889, the scientist Emil Pfeiffer wrote about similar clinical manifestations. For a long time, experts have thoroughly studied mononucleosis. Symptoms in children were almost identical: all had fever, acute tonsillitis, swollen lymph nodes, spleen and liver. As it turned out later, it is children who are most susceptible to this serious illness - between the ages of two and eighteen.
Etiology
The causative agent of the disease is the Epstein-Barr virus, it belongs to the herpesvirus family. In the environment, it quickly dies under the influence of chemical and physical factors. There is an assumption that it promotes the formation of malignant tumors.
How it is transmitted to humansmononucleosis?
Symptoms in children a week after infection are pronounced: there is pain when swallowing, white plaque on the palate and tonsils, bleeding gums, loss of appetite, nausea, weakness. The cervical lymph nodes are noticeably enlarged - on palpation, the child complains of pain. The virus is transmitted by aerogenic and parenteral routes. Even after successful treatment, the pathogen can be released into the environment for a long time.
Susceptibility to the disease is low, mainly recorded in young people aged 14 to 18 years. Cases of infection in adults are very rarely recorded, since a person of conscious age develops immunity. It should be noted that infectious mononucleosis is not very contagious. Symptoms in children may last for a long time. They are often similar to the symptoms of a common cold, which is why many parents delay diagnosis and treatment, thinking that the disease will recede on its own.
Pathogenesis and clinical picture
The virus enters the child's body through the respiratory tract and oropharynx, from there it is transferred through the lymph flow to all lymph nodes (inguinal, cervical, etc.). Then it enters the bloodstream and penetrates into lymphocytes, where it reproduces itself. The incubation period can last from four to sixty days. Mononucleosis develops gradually in children.
Symptoms most often appear by the end of day 5-6 of infection. The temperature rises to 39 C, migraine, sore throat, nasal, disturbedbreath. There is a lesion of the tonsils (signs are similar to fibrinous tonsillitis), rashes in the form of red dots on the surface of the skin. Simultaneously with these manifestations, lymphadenopathy develops (lymph nodes become the size of a walnut).
This state can last up to two months. There is also a significant increase in the spleen and liver. In the acute stage, mononucleosis is very dangerous. Symptoms in children are quite acute, and bother them for a long time. In some patients, the temperature decreases on the second day, and then rises again. All these signs should alert parents and force them to see a doctor.
Dangerous complications can cause this disease if left untreated:
-meningitis;
-hemolytic anemia;
-otitis media, sinusitis, pneumonia;
-encephalitis;
-ruptured spleen.
Patients are usually hospitalized, but in a mild form and on an outpatient basis, mononucleosis in children is treated. Symptoms (treatment begins after a thorough diagnosis) are eliminated with the help of detoxification, symptomatic, analgesic and antipyretic therapy. Antibiotics are prescribed for children with severe illness and weakened immune systems. Immunomodulatory drugs recommended.
Showing antiseptic throat gargles and he althy eating. The room in which the child lives must be clean and ventilated. It is recommended to regularly disinfect baby's linen, personal care products, toys and utensils.
