Infectious Disease Specialist (Pediatric) Questions Mononucleosis

How long is mono contagious?

My son has mono, and he contracted it from his girlfriend. Is it contagious? If yes, how long will he be contagious for?

1 Answer

InfectiousDiseaseSpecialist(Pediatric)Mononucleosis
Epstein Barr virus, the cause, is spread only through intimate contact (kissing). It is a lifelong infection and can be spread via blood transfusion for up 6 months, but infectious virus is unlikely to be transmitted by kissing after a month or so. It is otherwise not considered contagious except through sharing of saliva.

G. Dickinson
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