| The Mono Threat: Campus Most Wanted or Seductive Distraction? |
|
|
|
| Written by La’Ron S. Readus | ||||
| Friday, 11 April 2008 | ||||
“Mistletoe can be deadly if you eat it. But a kiss can be even deadlier if you mean it.” This line was taken from Tim Burton’s “Batman Returns.” But while some don’t see its logic in nothing more than a movie, while on campus a kiss can be threatening. And that threat has a name. I speak of none other than mono. It is called mono here in North America. But infectious mononucleosis has many other names. Names such as ‘The Kissing Disease’, or ‘Pfeiffer’s Disease’. Its also known as ‘Glandular Fever’ in other English-speaking countries. The symptoms include fever, sore throat, muscle weakness and mental fatigue. Others include abdominal pain, aching muscles, headaches loss of appetite, skin rash, and diarrhea, just to name a few. Around ninety percent of Americans will acquire the virus even if they exhibit no symptoms. The virus is typically transmitted from asymptomatic individuals through saliva, earning it the name “The Kissing Disease.” It can also be transmitted by sharing a drink or sharing eating utensils. It may also be transmitted through blood. Even though this is somewhat of a contagious virus, it is possible to live in the same house with an infected person and never acquire the virus. Meet Kevin Vinton. He is a sophomore here at Lake Superior State University, who has once acquired the virus himself. “I had mono for a while,” he admitted. “I first discovered I had it when I went to the University health care center.” But according to the Fire Science major, he experienced something much worse than this virus through it. “I developed Gilbert’s Syndrome, or as I like to call it, ‘Lazy Liver’. It’s when the liver doesn’t break down a chemical inside your blood.” Gilbert’s syndrome, often shortened to the acronym GS, is caused by approximately thirty to fifty percent reduced glucuronidation activity of the enzyme Uridine-diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase isoform 1A1. “Some of the symptoms I had,” Kevin goes on to say, “was nausea, loss of appetite and sleep deprivation.” Doctors say that while this syndrome is considered harmless, it is clinically important because it may be confused with much more dangerous liver conditions. “There was no real treatment for it,” Vinton goes on to say. “It’s no real threat to my health, but it sucks!” So while we may fear the threat of “The Kissing Disease”, we must also think about what else kissing leads to. Because if the famous quote from “Batman Returns” is true, it could really “be deadlier if you mean it.”
 Add as favourites (0)
Only registered users can write comments. Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6 |
||||
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
