What is the cause of mono?
The EBV that causes mono is found throughout the world. By the time most people reach adulthood, an antibody against EBV can be detected in their blood. In the U.S., up to 95% of adults 35-40 years of age have antibodies directed against EBV. This means that most people, sometime in their lives, have been infected with EBV. The body’s immune system produces antibodies to attack and help destroy invading viruses and bacteria. These specific antibodies can be detected in the blood of people who have been infected. While there are other illnesses falling under the broad classification of mononucleosis that can cause similar symptoms (cytomegalovirus [CMV] is one example) and an increase in blood lymphocytes, the form caused by the EBV is by far the most common. What are the risk factors for mono? The EBV can infect any person. As previously discussed, the majority of people have become infected with the virus by the time that they reach adulthood, and the majority of these infections prod
