Preschoolers also get mononucleosis, although symptoms may be so mild that the disease is often overlooked. Mononucleosis is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, which appears intermittently in the mouth of anyone ever infected by it. The disease is usually contracted from someone who is not ill at the time of contact. Symptoms of mononucleosis include fever, sore throat, headache, extreme fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and possibly a rash. The symptoms tend to subside after six to 10 days, but sometimes may continue for weeks.
Treatment consists of bed rest and acetaminophen.
In rare cases, steroids such as prednisone are given if swelling of the tonsils obstructs the airway and makes it hard for the person to breathe. The rash is the first sign of disease in children. In adults, the rash, if it develops at all, follows a low-grade fever, loss of appetite, malaise, headache, and swollen glands. In either case, the rash spreads, then disappears rapidly, and usually is completely gone after four to five days. In both children and adults, symptoms may be minimal, or may not appear at all.