By: Brittany Welch ~Staff Writer~

As midterm week comes to a close, students find themselves worrying about something other than their grades: Mononucleosis.

“Common symptoms of mono include high fever, swollen lymph glands on the side or back of the neck, severe sore throat and fatigue that can last anywhere from several weeks to months,” according to a handout from McGrath Health and Wellness Center.

“25 percent of college students will get diagnosed with mono at some time during their four years at school,” Dr. Kim Miller of Xavier’s internal medicine said.

On average, the doctors and nurses at McGrath diagnose about five to ten students a week continuously throughout the year. They have a high index for suspicion and test any students with a sore throat for mono. Students that have one or more symptoms are considered to be infected with the virus even if their test comes back negative.

Mono is a virus doctors cannot treat once a student is infected. The only way to get rid of the virus is to let it run its course. To prevent the spread of mono, avoid sharing your cups, bottles and vapes or cigarettes with others. Wash your hands frequently and do not eat after or kiss anyone who is confirmed or suspected to have mono.

If an individual believes they have mono or have been diagnosed already, it is important to know that mono can stay in your body for six months even after symptoms go away. Getting rest can help students recover faster, and once an individual gets mono he or she is immune to the disease. Having mono can set students back weeks in their studies and cause a lot of unneeded stress from being infected. For this reason, it is important to be well informed and cautious when around other students during the 2015-16 school year.