For ages 14 and up — NOT A TOY.
The Kissing Disease, or mononucleosis, is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (named after its discovers Michael Epstein and Y. M. Barr.) More than 95% of the population is infected!
Most people catch the virus at a very young age, at which time the symptoms are often too mild to be noticed.
Nevertheless, Epstein-Barr is not very contagious. Transmission requires close contact such as kissing or sharing drinks. And with an incubation period of 4-7 weeks, it can be a while before you know whether you’ve caught it.
Most people get over Epstein-Barr in a couple of weeks – though it can take up to a year to kiss the virus goodbye!