ebstien bar

[working dog]

if someone had mono as a teen...now at 19 has ebstein bar...can it be contagious????thanks...billy

[kd1625]

Hi, here is a good site that will answer your questions.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/ebv.htm

[mkh9]

Yes most older people have EBV. You get it by kissing someone intimately. The person will have a sore throat, swollen lymph nodes in the neck (usually under the jaw) and a fever for up to a month. You just don't want to kiss the person. You can't get it by the air or blood. The person that is sick can get checked via several blood tests. That person should go in soon before 3 weeks are up. They will  be very infectious for up to a month after. They may also have a swollen spleen so they should be careful not to be too active. If you are not the one that is sick you can still tested just to see if you have already been exposed in the past or now.  Once you have EBV you have it for life like Herpes.
mkh9

[working dog]

so most older people have it?   and what type of things does one do to watch out for the virus if someone close has it? and how do you get tested for ebv?...thanks...billy

[mkh9]

Hi, well once you got mono which is caused by the Eptein Barr virus you don't usually get sick again yourself but you can still transmit the virus to others even when you don't have symptoms. Most older people have EBV but children and young adults are more at risk.