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Navigate: FAQ Home Page > General Health Questions > Mono twice?
Posted on: 08/21/2006
Question
Is it possible to get mono twice?
Answer
In general, no. The most common cause of infectious mono below age 25 is Epstein-Barr virus. If you get mono from this virus, it's extremely rare to get it again. Rare cases have been reported of the virus "reactivating" after it has begun to live in your system quietly (similar to chicken pox virus). However, you can get "mono" from other viruses, most commonly cytomegalovirus, or CMV. This tends to occur later in life, ages 20's and beyond. Other viruses can at times cause a mono-like illness. Usually this can be sorted out by blood testing if necessary. So, in a sense, you can get mono-like illnesses more than once, but not with the same virus.