• Near people will not exist able to get mono twice in their life.
  • That'southward considering one time you're infected with the virus that causes mono, it remains inactive in your torso.
  • However, those who are immunocompromised may be at a higher run a risk for the virus reactivating, and experiencing mono symptoms more than once.
  • This commodity was medically reviewed past Kristine Arthur, MD, an internist at MemorialCare Medical Group in Laguna Forest, CA.
  • Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more advice.

Infectious mononucleosis, or mono for short, is spread by 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 will remain inactive for many of these people, and they'll never have whatever symptoms of mono.

Withal, at least 25% of immature people who get infected with EBV will develop symptoms of mono, according to the Centers for Illness Control and Prevention (CDC). But there'due south some good news — if you become mono, it'south almost impossible to go it again. Here's why.

Can you lot get mono twice?

Once you lot've had mono, it's extremely unlikely that you'll get it again months or even years later.

When yous've been infected with EBV, it remains in your throat and blood cells for the residuum of your life — but is usually latent, or inactive. Your immune system produces antibodies in your blood that help protect you lot against a recurrence of EBV.

"This will give you permanent immunity from communicable the virus once more," says Dimitar Marinov, MD, an assistant professor in the section of hygiene and epidemiology at Medical University in Varna, Republic of bulgaria. "That'southward the reason why you cannot get mononucleosis twice."

Notwithstanding, EBV may periodically reactivate in your body, leading to higher levels of the virus in your saliva. Fifty-fifty if EBV does reactivate, there are usually no symptoms of mono in otherwise good for you people, Marinov says.

However, you could perhaps still spread EBV to others, regardless of how long it'southward been since yous were first infected, the CDC notes. That's why mono can be contagious long after you've displayed symptoms.

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

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

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

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

EBV invades your B cells and makes your trunk produce an excessive number of lymphocytes, the circular white blood cells in your lymph tissues, and produce fewer neutrophils, the white blood cells that boost your allowed system'south 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 accept astringent symptoms acquired by EBV.

In very rare cases, an EBV infection may develop into chronic agile EBV (CAEBV). Instead of going fallow, EBV remains active and can pb to serious complications such as a weakened immune system, lymphomas, or organ failure. The simply current cure for CAEBV is hematopoietic (blood cells) stalk jail cell transplantation.

People from Asia, S and Primal America, and Mexico are more at risk for CAEBV, and information technology'southward mostly caused past 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 might mistake for mono

It's rare that yous'll really get mono twice. So, if you've already had mono in one case, and yous recall yous're getting it again, it's more probable that you actually have some other illness with similar symptoms, such as strep throat or influenza.

Mono symptoms unremarkably brainstorm four to vi weeks after you've been infected with EBV. The symptoms typically last from two to half dozen or more weeks, which is much longer than they unremarkably last for other viral infections.

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

Unlike mono, the common influenza is caused past an influenza virus that can exist transmitted not just through saliva, but through the air and by touching contaminated objects.

Flu symptoms usually begin suddenly, soon later you become infected, rather than over time as they do with mono. The flu typically lasts from a calendar week to ten days.

And while mono and the influenza are caused past viruses, strep throat is caused by group A Streptococcus leaner, and then information technology tin be treated with antibiotics and will normally concluding less than ane week.

The bottom line

If you've already had mono, and think you may take it over again, check with your doctor, who can determine if that'due south the case — or if you merely have some other common illness, like strep throat or flu.

Nonetheless, in some cases, serious weather condition can likewise display symptoms similar to mono. This includes hepatitis B, a virus that causes inflammation of the liver and has additional symptoms also those for mono, such equally night urine and yellowing of your skin. You should encounter a md right abroad if you have these symptoms.

Related articles from Wellness Reference:

  • How to care for mono and the best means to save your symptoms
  • How to tell if you have a fever without a thermometer
  • 5 means to soothe a sore pharynx

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