What are common symptoms experienced in infectious mononucleosis?

Infectious mononucleosis, often referred to as "mono," is commonly characterized by a cluster of symptoms that include headache, malaise, and fever. These symptoms result from the body's immune response to the Epstein-Barr virus, which is the most common cause of this illness. Headaches can occur due to the overall systemic response and inflammation, while malaise relates to the feeling of general discomfort and fatigue that many patients experience. The presence of fever is also a hallmark of infectious mono, indicating the body is fighting off an infection.

While other symptoms such as sore throat and body aches can indeed occur in infectious mononucleosis and are also quite common, the specificity of headache, malaise, and fever together distinctly represents the classic symptomatology of this condition. The other choices involve symptoms that are less typical for mono; for instance, muscle cramps and sudden chills are not characteristic of this viral illness, nor are persistent coughing and sneezing, which are more associated with respiratory infections or allergies, rather than with infectious mononucleosis.