Young athletes must be marginalized after the Battle of Mono

SUNDAY, April 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) – Young convalescent athletes recovering from a mononucleosis may be in a hurry to return to the game they love. But one expert said that the risk of suffering from a broken spleen during the game involved staying on the sidelines longer than some would like.

Along with extreme fatigue, sore throat, fever and swollen ganglia, "mono" causes enlargement of the spleen. This can be dangerous for athletes because the impacts and pressure exerted on the abdomen during many sports can cause the spleen to burst.

"It's rare, in less than 0.5% of patients, but an infected athlete can rupture his spleen within 21 days of the onset of symptoms," said Dr. Lindsay Lafferty, a sports medicine physician at Penn State Health.

"The rate decreases after four weeks, but ruptures occurred up to eight weeks after the athlete noticed the first symptoms," she noted in a Penn press release. State.

Determining the risk of rupture of the spleen is difficult. Because of the fluctuation in the normal size of the spleen, ultrasounds and CT scans can not determine whether the organ is enlarged or likely to break, Lafferty said.

"A physical examination of the size of the spleen identifies less than 17% of the cases, so deciding on the right time for the return of a student athlete can be complex," she explained.

For athletes, it has not been proven that protective equipment such as flank jackets or protective corsets reduce the risk of ruptured spleen and are not recommended.

"Athletes can resume contactless play and exercises that do not include weight lifting 21 days after the start of mono if their symptoms are gone and they can resume play after 28 days," advised Lafferty.

The virus causing mononucleosis is transmitted by saliva, which is why it is commonly called "kisses disease". But mono can also be transmitted by sharing a drink or utensils with an infected person, or even by coughing or sneezing. This often happens among young people, especially those in high school and college.

The treatment for mono includes rest, hydration and pain relief. In some cases, recovery may take months. The isolation is not necessary, but patients are urged to avoid spreading germs by making sure to wash their hands and not to share personal items neither bottles of water.

More information

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have more to say about infectious mononucleosis.