a ruptured (burst) spleen, which may need to be treated with surgery.breathing difficulties as a result of the tonsils becoming significantly swollen.severe anaemia (a lack of oxygen-carrying red blood cells).further infections of other areas of the body, including the brain, liver and lungs.Possible complicationsĬomplications associated with glandular fever are uncommon, but when they do occur they can be serious. Read more about treating glandular fever. Some people with particularly severe symptoms may need to be looked after in hospital for a few days. Occasionally, antibiotics or corticosteroids may be used if you develop complications of glandular fever.

getting plenty of rest and gradually increasing your activity as your energy levels improve.

taking over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.

There is no cure for glandular fever, but there are a number of simple treatments and measures that can help reduce the symptoms while you wait for your body to control the infection. Your GP may also recommend a blood test to help confirm the diagnosis and rule out infections that can cause similar symptoms, such as cytomegalovirus (CMV), rubella, mumps and toxoplasmosis. They will look for characteristic signs of glandular fever, such as swollen glands, tonsils, liver and spleen. To diagnose glandular fever, your GP will first ask about your symptoms before carrying out a physical examination. This is because people develop lifelong immunity after the initial infection. Once you have had glandular fever, it is unlikely you will develop it again. However, if a person develops an EBV infection during early adulthood, they can develop glandular fever. Most EBV infections are thought to occur during childhood and cause only mild symptoms, or no symptoms at all. Glandular fever can affect people of all ages, but most cases affect teenagers and young adults. Read more about the causes of glandular fever. If you have EBV, it's a good idea to take steps to avoid infecting others while you are ill, such as not kissing other people, but there's no need no need to avoid all contact with others as the chances of passing on the infection are generally low.

sharing eating and drinking utensils, such as cups, glasses and unwashed cutleryĮBV may be found in the saliva of someone who has had glandular fever for several months after their symptoms pass, and some people may continue to have the virus in their saliva on and off for years.

kissing – glandular fever is often referred to as the 'kissing disease'.

This virus is found in the saliva of infected people and can be spread through: Glandular fever is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

These symptoms can be a sign of a complication of glandular fever that may need to be treated in hospital. develop a rasping breath (stridor) or have any breathing difficulties.You should go to your local accident and emergency (A&E) department or dial 999 for an ambulance if you have glandular fever and you: While there is little your GP can do in terms of treatment, they can provide advice and support to help you control your symptoms and reduce the risk of passing the infection on to others. You should contact your GP if you suspect that you or your child has glandular fever. Read more about the symptoms of glandular fever. Fatigue, however, can occasionally last several months.

While the symptoms of glandular fever can be very unpleasant, most of them should pass within two to three weeks. It is also known as infectious mononucleosis, or 'mono'. Glandular fever is a type of viral infection that mostly affects young adults.

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