• Near people will not be able to get mono twice in their life.
  • That's because once you're infected with the virus that causes mono, information technology remains inactive in your body.
  • However, those who are immunocompromised may exist at a college take chances for the virus reactivating, and experiencing mono symptoms more than than once.
  • This article was medically reviewed past Kristine Arthur, Physician, an internist at MemorialCare Medical Grouping in Laguna Wood, CA.
  • Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more communication.

Infectious mononucleosis, or mono for brusque, is spread past the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), a fellow member of the herpes family, through saliva or respiratory droplets.

More than xc% of people worldwide are infected with EBV. The virus volition remain inactive for many of these people, and they'll never accept any symptoms of mono.

However, at least 25% of young people who get infected with EBV will develop symptoms of mono, according to the Centers for Disease Command and Prevention (CDC). But there's some good news — if y'all get mono, it's nigh impossible to get it again. Hither's why.

Can you get mono twice?

One time you've had mono, it'southward extremely unlikely that you'll get it again months or even years later.

When you've been infected with EBV, it remains in your pharynx and claret cells for the rest of your life — merely is unremarkably latent, or inactive. Your allowed system produces antibodies in your blood that help protect you against a recurrence of EBV.

"This volition give you permanent immunity from communicable the virus again," says Dimitar Marinov, Doctor, an banana professor in the department of hygiene and epidemiology at Medical University in Varna, Bulgaria. "That'southward the reason why you cannot get mononucleosis twice."

However, EBV may periodically reactivate in your body, leading to college levels of the virus in your saliva. Even if EBV does reactivate, in that location are usually no symptoms of mono in otherwise healthy people, Marinov says.

However, you could peradventure still spread EBV to others, regardless of how long it'southward been since y'all were beginning infected, the CDC notes. That'south why mono can be contagious long later you've displayed symptoms.

People with weak immune systems are more likely to get mono twice

However, if you lot have a weakened or suppressed allowed system, also known equally being immunocompromised, then yous're more at risk of getting mono more once. If you have the following conditions, you are more probable to show symptoms of mono if EBV reactivates.

  • People with autoimmune diseases such as lupus, multiple sclerosis, or rheumatoid arthritis
  • People taking immunosuppressant medications, such as corticosteroids like prednisone, to care for autoimmune diseases
  • Cancer patients
  • People with AIDS

Although it is unclear what tin can trigger a reactivation of EBV, it may be due to an activation of B cells — a blazon of white blood cells in your immune system — in response to an unrelated infection.

EBV invades your B cells and makes your torso produce an excessive number of lymphocytes, the round white blood cells in your lymph tissues, and produce fewer neutrophils, the white blood cells that boost your allowed organization's ability to fight infection.

EBV-invaded B cells may proliferate more in people with weakened immune systems. This makes them more probable than people with healthy allowed systems to have severe symptoms caused by EBV.

In very rare cases, an EBV infection may develop into chronic active EBV (CAEBV). Instead of going dormant, EBV remains active and tin lead to serious complications such equally a weakened immune organization, lymphomas, or organ failure. The only current cure for CAEBV is hematopoietic (blood cells) stem jail cell transplantation.

People from Asia, Due south and Cardinal America, and Mexico are more than at gamble for CAEBV, and it's mostly caused by genetic factors. "There are people with genetic variations in their immune cells who are more susceptible to a CAEBV infection," Marinov says.

Other common illnesses that you lot might mistake for mono

It's rare that you'll really get mono twice. So, if you've already had mono once, and you lot call up you're getting it over again, it's more than probable that you really have another illness with similar symptoms, such as strep throat or influenza.

Mono symptoms ordinarily begin four to six weeks later on you've been infected with EBV. The symptoms typically final from ii to six or more than weeks, which is much longer than they usually last for other viral infections.

Strep pharynx and influenza may resemble mono.
Yuqing Liu/Insider

Unlike mono, the mutual flu is acquired past an influenza virus that can exist transmitted not only through saliva, but through the air and by touching contaminated objects.

Flu symptoms usually begin suddenly, soon after you get infected, rather than over time as they practice with mono. The influenza typically lasts from a calendar week to ten days.

And while mono and the influenza are caused by viruses, strep throat is acquired by group A Streptococcus bacteria, so it tin be treated with antibiotics and will normally last less than one week.

The lesser line

If y'all've already had mono, and call up you may have it once again, check with your physician, who can determine if that's the case — or if you just have some other common illness, similar strep throat or flu.

Still, in some cases, serious conditions tin can besides display symptoms similar to mono. This includes hepatitis B, a virus that causes inflammation of the liver and has additional symptoms besides those for mono, such equally dark urine and yellowing of your skin. You should see a doctor right abroad if y'all have these symptoms.

Related articles from Wellness Reference:

  • How to treat mono and the best means to relieve your symptoms
  • How to tell if you have a fever without a thermometer
  • five means to soothe a sore throat

Laura Goldman is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer who specializes in man and animal health topics. She writes about her favorite animals at i Still Dearest Dogs.