Introduction
Pfeiffer’s glandular fever, or infectious mononucleosis – as it is called medically correct – is an infectious disease caused by the so-called Epstein-Barr virus. Compared to most infectious diseases, the Pfeiffer’s glandular fever is a long-lasting affair. As always, the duration of the illness depends on the physical conditions, state of health and other factors of the person affected and therefore varies greatly.
Duration of the entire illness
Like every infectious disease, infectious mononucleosis also begins with the so-called incubation stage, i.e. the time in which the pathogens multiply, but humans do not yet notice the disease. In the case of the Epstein-Barr virus, it can last up to 7 weeks, but at least one week. This is followed by the actual phase of the disease.
This also usually lasts for several weeks, but has the advantage that the person affected is not, as with other diseases, much too weak to carry out his or her everyday duties and light physical work. In some cases, after the visible and palpable findings have subsided, a period of physical listlessness follows, the so-called “fatigue”, which in the worst case can become a chronic permanent condition. In general, it can be said that the disease lasts longer the older the child becomes – the Epstein-Barr virus is a typical disease of youth.
Duration of symptoms
The symptoms of whistling glandular fever, i.e. first and foremost fatigue or tiredness, also known as fatigue by doctors, persist for several weeks. Further symptoms are whitish, purulent coatings on the tonsils, an inflammation of the throat and a general, light fever with temperatures around 38 to 38.5 degrees Celsius. In about half of all cases there is also a swelling of the spleen.
While the latter symptoms, i.e. those that are palpable, can last for about two weeks, the fatigue usually lasts for several weeks beyond that. As a rule, one can assume four to six weeks. You can find more information about the symptoms of this disease on our website.
Duration of incubation period
As already indicated above, Pfeiffer’s glandular fever has a very long duration and also an already unusually long incubation period. The incubation period in which the pathogens multiply in the human body can last between one and seven weeks. This again depends on the pathogen load received at the beginning and the generation duration of the pathogens, as well as the immune competence of the infected body.
Duration of the risk of infection
Infectious mononucleosis has been nicknamed “Kissing Disease” in the English-speaking world, as the pathogens spread primarily via infectious saliva. It is difficult to say when exactly this infectiousness will persist, as it is possible to set small clear cut-offs as is the case with other diseases. In the technical literature there are no clear indications in this respect either, but only the reference that the saliva can still be infectious weeks after the actual illness.
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