What is the Difference Between Mono and HIV

The key difference between mono and HIV is that mono is an infectious disease caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, while HIV is a virus that damages and weakens the cells in the immune system, leading to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Infectious diseases are diseases caused by organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites. Many of these organisms live in and on our bodies. Some of them are normally harmless or even helpful. However, under certain conditions, they may cause diseases. Mono or mononucleosis is an infectious disease, while HIV is a virus that causes HIV infection or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). They are deadly infectious medical conditions.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Mono
3. What is HIV
4. Similarities – Mono and HIV
5. Mono vs HIV in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Mono vs HIV

What is Mono?

Mono (mononucleosis) is an infectious disease caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. Epstein-Barr virus is spread through saliva. It can be infected through kissing or by sharing a glass or food utensils with someone who has mononucleosis. However, it is not very contagious like other infections. Mononucleosis usually affects teens and young adults. Signs and symptoms of mononucleosis may include fatigue, sore throat, fever, swollen lymph nodes in the neck and armpits, swollen tonsils, headache, rashes in the skin, and a soft, swollen spleen. The complications involved in this condition include enlargement of the spleen and liver tissues (hepatitis and jaundice), anemia, thrombocytopenia, heart problems, problems in the nervous system, and swollen tonsils.

Mono can be diagnosed through physical examination and blood tests (antibody tests and white blood cell counts). Treatment options for mono may include medications, treating secondary infections, and other complications (antibiotics, corticosteroids, and medications to reduce rashes), lifestyle and home remedies (rest, eating a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water and juices, taking over the counter pain relievers, and gargling salt water).

What is HIV?

HIV (immune immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that causes HIV infection or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The signs and symptoms of HIV infection may include sweats, chills, recurring fever, chronic diarrhoea, swollen lymph nodes, persistent white spots on the tongue or in the mouth, unexplained fatigue, weakness, weight loss, skin rashes or bumps, swollen lymph nodes, pneumonia, muscle aches, and joint pain. Moreover, the HIV virus spreads through sexual contact, illicit injection, drug use, sharing needles, and contact with infected blood, from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. The complications of HIV infection include pneumocystis pneumonia, candidiasis, tuberculosis, cytomegalovirus infection, cryptococcal meningitis, and toxoplasmosis.

Moreover, the diagnosis of HIV infection includes testing the blood and saliva through antigen/antibody tests, antibody tests, and nucleic acid tests (NATs). Treatment options for HIV infection are antiretroviral therapy (ART), lifestyle and home remedies (eating healthy foods, avoiding raw meat, eggs, and raw seafood, getting the right vaccination, etc.), alternative medicines, supplements (acetyl L carnitine, whey protein and certain amino acids, probiotics, vitamins, and minerals), and mind and body practices.

What are the Similarities Between Mono and HIV?

• Mono and HIV infection are deadly infectious medical conditions.
• They are both due to viruses.
• Both may have similar symptoms, such as respiratory problems and weakness.
• They can be diagnosed through blood tests.
• They are treated through antiviral medications.

What is the Difference Between Mono and HIV?

Mono is an infectious disease caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. At the same time, HIV is a virus that damages and weakens the cells in the immune system, leading to acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Thus, this is the key difference between mono and HIV. Furthermore, the signs and symptoms of mono include fatigue, sore throat, fever, swollen lymph nodes in the neck and armpits, swollen tonsils, headache, rashes in the skin, and a soft, swollen spleen. On the other hand, the signs and symptoms of HIV infection include sweats, chills, recurring fever, chronic diarrhoea, swollen lymph nodes, persistent white spots on the tongue or in the mouth, unexplained fatigue, weakness, weight loss, skin rashes or bumps, swollen lymph nodes, pneumonia, muscle aches, and joint pain.

The below infographic presents the differences between mono and HIV in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Mono vs HIV

Infectious diseases are caused by organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites. Mono and HIV infection are deadly infectious medical conditions. Mono is an infectious disease caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, while HIV is a virus that damages and weakens the cells in the immune system, which leads to acquired immune deficiency syndrome. So, this is the key difference between Mono and HIV.

Reference:

1. “Mononucleosis.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
2. “HIV and Aids.” NHS Choices, NHS.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Mononucleosis” By James Heilman, MD – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Early Symptoms of HIV Diagram” By Nicolearyanne – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia