Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsIncubationProdrome StageAcute StageConvalescent StageTreatmentIsolationComplicationsWhen to See a ProviderFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Incubation
Prodrome Stage
Acute Stage
Convalescent Stage
Treatment
Isolation
Complications
When to See a Provider
Frequently Asked Questions
The timeline of mono (mononucleosis) includes the following three stages:
These begin after a period ofincubation, in which mono is in your system, but there are no obvious signs of it yet.
Some people may have symptoms for only two to four weeks. Others may have lingering effects—especially fatigue—until the virus that causes the illness becomes inactive, which can take months.
This article walks you through the stages of mono so you can get a better sense of what to expect and how to get over mono faster. It also looks at possible complications and ways to prevent getting mono and passing the virus to others.
Verywell / Danie Drankwalter
How Long Does Mono Fatigue Last?
Mono Incubation Period
TheEpstein-Barr virus (EBV)is the most common cause of mono. It can take around four to six weeks for symptoms of mononucleosis to appear after you have been infected.
The period of time between exposure and the start of symptoms is called the incubation period.
Though you may feel OK during this time, it’s still possible for you to pass the virus on to others.
The Prodrome Stage of Mono
The first stage of mono is called the prodrome stage. It ususally laststhree to five days.
Mono symptoms start to appear during this phase. These can include:
You can also have mono without symptoms. In particular, kids under the age of 10 may have very mild symptoms or none at all.
How Can You Tell If You Have Mono?
The Acute Stage of Mono
The second phase of mono is called the acute stage. During this time, a person’s symptoms may start to get worse. Acute symptoms are often referred to as “classic” symptoms.
For most people, the acute symptoms of mono last for2 to 4 weeks.
Not everyone will experience every symptom of mono. Keep in mind that mono symptoms can also show up at different times over the course of the infection.
Splenic rupture is a rare complication of mononucleosis, but it can be serious when it happens. You should avoid physical activity that could lead tospleen rupturefor three weeks after symptoms begin, though some research suggests that the risk may persist for up to 31 days.
How Mono Is Diagnosed
The Convalescent Stage of Mono
The last phase of mono is the convalescent stage. This is when you recover from the infection, which can take anywhere fromthree to six months.
By this stage, most mono symptoms have gotten better. However, some people still feel weak and tired.
How Long Is Mono Contagious?Even after symptoms have cleared, thevirus can be passedin saliva for up to 18 months.
How Long Is Mono Contagious?
Even after symptoms have cleared, thevirus can be passedin saliva for up to 18 months.
Can You Get Mono More Than Once?
Mono Treatment
There’s no cure or specific treatment for mono.It can take a long time to get over the infection, and there’s not much you can do to make the process go faster.
Supporting your body as it heals and fights off the virus is the best approach.
What Are the Symptoms of Mono in Kids?
Do I Need to Isolate If I Have Mono?
The mono virus is mostly spread through your spit (saliva). Mono can also spread if you cough or sneeze close to somebody.
When you are around others:
How to Prevent the Transmission of Mononucleosis
Complications of Mono
People with severe mono can experience potentially serious complications, such as:
The effects of these complications may persist even after you’ve recovered from mono itself.
Studies have shown that the Epstein-Barr virus might be linked to certain types of cancer, includingBurkitt’s lymphomaandHodgkin lymphoma.
Mono has also been associated with an increased risk of developingautoimmune diseaseslikemultiple sclerosis.
Rarely, people with mono can develop achronic active Epstein-Barr virus(CAEBV) infection. This can occur in people with a first-time infection or in people who have already recovered from the illness if the virus reactivates within the body.
Does Mono Cause Cancer?
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Your symptoms should start to improve in a week or two. If they don’t, make another appointment with your healthcare provider.
You should also contact your healthcare provider if:
When to Go to the ERSome complications of mono can be life-threatening. Seek emergency care at once if you develop:Sudden, sharp pain in your upper left abdomenTrouble breathing or swallowingA stiff neckExtreme fatigue/weakness
When to Go to the ER
Some complications of mono can be life-threatening. Seek emergency care at once if you develop:Sudden, sharp pain in your upper left abdomenTrouble breathing or swallowingA stiff neckExtreme fatigue/weakness
Some complications of mono can be life-threatening. Seek emergency care at once if you develop:
Summary
Mono has a long incubation period, so it can be difficult to pinpoint when the illness actually started. On average, the prodrome phase lasts three to five days, the acute phase typically lasts between 4 and 6 weeks, and the final recovery stage can go on for up to six months.
Is Mono an STD?
Once you get mono, the virus will always stay in your body.However, it will not always be active. That means you won’t always be sick and you won’t always be able to spread the virus to other people.Learn MoreCan You Have Chronic Mono?
Once you get mono, the virus will always stay in your body.However, it will not always be active. That means you won’t always be sick and you won’t always be able to spread the virus to other people.
Learn MoreCan You Have Chronic Mono?
Learn MoreWho’s at Higher Risk for Mono?
Home Remedies for Mono
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Becker JA, Smith JA.Return to play after infectious mononucleosis.Sports Health.2014;6(3):232-238. doi:10.1177/1941738114521984Stock I.Infectious mononucleosis–a “childhood disease” of great medical concern.Med Monatsschr Pharm. 2013;36(10):364-368.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Infectious mononucleosis (mono).Saljoughian M.Diagnosing and treating mononucleosis.US Pharm. 2017;42(5):HS-7-HS-10.Sylvester JE, Buchanan BK, Paradise SL, Yauger JJ, Beutler AI.Association of splenic rupture and infectious mononucleosis: A retrospective analysis and review of return-to-play recommendations.Sports Health. 2019;11(6):543-549. doi:10.1177/1941738119873665Balfour HH, Dunmire SK, Hogquist KA.Infectious mononucleosis.Clin Trans Immunol. 2015;4(2):e33. doi:10.1038/cti.2015.1Johns Hopkins Medicine.Infectious mononucleosis.Zhang L, Zhou P, Meng Z, et al.Infectious mononucleosis and hepatic function.Exp Ther Med.2018;15(3):2901-2909. doi:10.3892/etm.2018.5736Herold J, Grimaldo F.Epstein-Barr virus-induced jaundice.Clin Pract Cases Emerg Med.2020;4(1):69-71. doi:10.5811/cpcem.2019.10.45049Kimura H, Cohen JI.Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus disease.Front Immunol.2017;8:1867. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2017.01867Nemours.How long Is mono contagious?Dunmire SK, Hogquist KA, Balfour HH.Infectious Mononucleosis.Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 2015;390(Pt 1):211-240. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-22822-8_9
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Becker JA, Smith JA.Return to play after infectious mononucleosis.Sports Health.2014;6(3):232-238. doi:10.1177/1941738114521984Stock I.Infectious mononucleosis–a “childhood disease” of great medical concern.Med Monatsschr Pharm. 2013;36(10):364-368.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Infectious mononucleosis (mono).Saljoughian M.Diagnosing and treating mononucleosis.US Pharm. 2017;42(5):HS-7-HS-10.Sylvester JE, Buchanan BK, Paradise SL, Yauger JJ, Beutler AI.Association of splenic rupture and infectious mononucleosis: A retrospective analysis and review of return-to-play recommendations.Sports Health. 2019;11(6):543-549. doi:10.1177/1941738119873665Balfour HH, Dunmire SK, Hogquist KA.Infectious mononucleosis.Clin Trans Immunol. 2015;4(2):e33. doi:10.1038/cti.2015.1Johns Hopkins Medicine.Infectious mononucleosis.Zhang L, Zhou P, Meng Z, et al.Infectious mononucleosis and hepatic function.Exp Ther Med.2018;15(3):2901-2909. doi:10.3892/etm.2018.5736Herold J, Grimaldo F.Epstein-Barr virus-induced jaundice.Clin Pract Cases Emerg Med.2020;4(1):69-71. doi:10.5811/cpcem.2019.10.45049Kimura H, Cohen JI.Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus disease.Front Immunol.2017;8:1867. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2017.01867Nemours.How long Is mono contagious?Dunmire SK, Hogquist KA, Balfour HH.Infectious Mononucleosis.Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 2015;390(Pt 1):211-240. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-22822-8_9
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Becker JA, Smith JA.Return to play after infectious mononucleosis.Sports Health.2014;6(3):232-238. doi:10.1177/1941738114521984Stock I.Infectious mononucleosis–a “childhood disease” of great medical concern.Med Monatsschr Pharm. 2013;36(10):364-368.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Infectious mononucleosis (mono).Saljoughian M.Diagnosing and treating mononucleosis.US Pharm. 2017;42(5):HS-7-HS-10.Sylvester JE, Buchanan BK, Paradise SL, Yauger JJ, Beutler AI.Association of splenic rupture and infectious mononucleosis: A retrospective analysis and review of return-to-play recommendations.Sports Health. 2019;11(6):543-549. doi:10.1177/1941738119873665Balfour HH, Dunmire SK, Hogquist KA.Infectious mononucleosis.Clin Trans Immunol. 2015;4(2):e33. doi:10.1038/cti.2015.1Johns Hopkins Medicine.Infectious mononucleosis.Zhang L, Zhou P, Meng Z, et al.Infectious mononucleosis and hepatic function.Exp Ther Med.2018;15(3):2901-2909. doi:10.3892/etm.2018.5736Herold J, Grimaldo F.Epstein-Barr virus-induced jaundice.Clin Pract Cases Emerg Med.2020;4(1):69-71. doi:10.5811/cpcem.2019.10.45049Kimura H, Cohen JI.Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus disease.Front Immunol.2017;8:1867. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2017.01867Nemours.How long Is mono contagious?Dunmire SK, Hogquist KA, Balfour HH.Infectious Mononucleosis.Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 2015;390(Pt 1):211-240. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-22822-8_9
Becker JA, Smith JA.Return to play after infectious mononucleosis.Sports Health.2014;6(3):232-238. doi:10.1177/1941738114521984
Stock I.Infectious mononucleosis–a “childhood disease” of great medical concern.Med Monatsschr Pharm. 2013;36(10):364-368.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Infectious mononucleosis (mono).
Saljoughian M.Diagnosing and treating mononucleosis.US Pharm. 2017;42(5):HS-7-HS-10.
Sylvester JE, Buchanan BK, Paradise SL, Yauger JJ, Beutler AI.Association of splenic rupture and infectious mononucleosis: A retrospective analysis and review of return-to-play recommendations.Sports Health. 2019;11(6):543-549. doi:10.1177/1941738119873665
Balfour HH, Dunmire SK, Hogquist KA.Infectious mononucleosis.Clin Trans Immunol. 2015;4(2):e33. doi:10.1038/cti.2015.1
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Infectious mononucleosis.
Zhang L, Zhou P, Meng Z, et al.Infectious mononucleosis and hepatic function.Exp Ther Med.2018;15(3):2901-2909. doi:10.3892/etm.2018.5736
Herold J, Grimaldo F.Epstein-Barr virus-induced jaundice.Clin Pract Cases Emerg Med.2020;4(1):69-71. doi:10.5811/cpcem.2019.10.45049
Kimura H, Cohen JI.Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus disease.Front Immunol.2017;8:1867. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2017.01867
Nemours.How long Is mono contagious?
Dunmire SK, Hogquist KA, Balfour HH.Infectious Mononucleosis.Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 2015;390(Pt 1):211-240. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-22822-8_9
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