The viral infection mostly affects young adults.
What is glandular fever?
Glandular fever
Glandular fever is a type of viral infection that is most common among 15 to 24 years and can last for several weeks.
The fever is spread through saliva and can be contracted through exposure to things like coughs and sneezes, and sharing eating and drinking utensils.
It is contagious for at least two months and the virus can last in the saliva for up to 18 months.
However, once you have glandular fever once, it is unlikely that you will get it again because most people develop an immunity to the infection after the first bout.
What are the symptoms of glandular fever?
Symptoms of the infection should pass between two to three weeks after infection, however, you can remain fatigued for sometime after.
Common symptoms include a high temperature of 38 degrees or above, a sore throat more painful than usual, and swollen glands in your neck and possibly in your underarms.
Other symptoms include:
- swollen tonsils
- redness and fluid in the throat
- swelling at the back of the nose
- small purple spots on the roof of your mouth
- fatigue
- headaches
- chills
- sweats
- loss of appetite
How do you treat glandular fever?
While there is currently no cure for glandular fever, there are plenty of things you can do to ease the symptoms.
Plenty of bed rest is recommended for the first two or three weeks after you first start experiencing symptoms.
It’s also recommended that you drink plenty of water and unsweetened fruit juice to help relieve the symptoms of fever and sore throat. Gargling with salt water is also a great way to relieve a sore throat. It’s advised that you stay away from alcohol while suffering from the infection.
Painkillers can obviously help relieve any pains or fever you may be experiencing.
While antibiotics cannot treat a viral infection like glandular fever, they can treat any secondary bacterial infections that may be present in the throat.
