Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) is a rare disease caused by infection with the mpox virus. Monkeypox virus is part of the same family of viruses as variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox. Mpox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder, and mpox is rarely fatal.
Mpox (monkeypox) is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever. Most people fully recover, in some sickness is an engraved condition.
Anyone individual can get mpox. It spreads from contact with infected:
- persons, through touch, kissing, or sex
- animals, when hunting, handling, skinning, or cooking them
- materials, such as contaminated sheets, clothes or needles
- pregnant women, can pass the virus on to their unborn baby.
Clinical Signs
Mpox causes signs usually begin within a week or can start 1–21 days after exposure. Symptoms typically last 2–4 weeks but may last longer in someone with a weakened immune system.
Common symptoms of mpox are: rash, fever, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, swollen lymph nodes.
Diagnosis
Laboratory detection of viral DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the preferred laboratory test for mpox. The best clinical diagnostic material are taken directly from the rash – skin, fluid or crusts – collected by vigorous swabbing. In the absence of skin lesions, testing can be done on oropharyngeal, anal or rectal swabs. Testing blood is not recommended.
Treatment and vaccination
The goal of treating mpox is to take care of the rash, manage pain and prevent complications. Early and supportive care is important to help manage symptoms and avoid further problems.
Getting an mpox vaccine can help prevent infection. The vaccine should be given within 4 days of contact with someone who has mpox (or within up to 14 days if there are no symptoms).
It is recommended for people at high risk to get vaccinated to prevent infection with mpox, especially during an outbreak. This includes:
- health workers at risk of exposure
- men who have sex with men
- people with multiple sex partners
- sex workers.
Several antivirals, such as tecovirimat, originally developed to treat smallpox have been used to treat mpox and further studies are underway. Further information is available on mpox vaccination and case management.
Prevention
Most people with mpox will recover within 2–4 weeks. Things to do to help the symptoms and prevent infecting others:
Do
- stay home and in your own room if possible
- wash hands often with soap and water or hand sanitizer, especially before or after touching sores
- wear a mask and cover lesions when around other people until your rash heals
- keep skin dry and uncovered (unless in a room with someone else)
- avoid touching items in shared spaces and disinfect shared spaces frequently
- use saltwater rinses for sores in the mouth
- take sitz baths or warm baths with baking soda or Epsom salts for body sores
- take over-the-counter medications for pain like paracetamol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen.
Do not
- pop blisters or scratch sores, which can slow healing, spread the rash to other parts of the body, and cause sores to become infected; or
- shave areas with sores until scabs have healed and you have new skin underneath (this can spread the rash to other parts of the body).
To prevent spread of mpox to others, persons with mpox should isolate at home, or in hospital if needed, for the duration of the infectious period (from onset of symptoms until lesions have healed and scabs fall off). Covering lesions and wearing a medical mask when in the presence of others may help prevent spread. Using condoms during sex will help reduce the risk getting mpox but will not prevent spread from skin-to-skin or mouth-to-skin contact.
Source: CDC, WHO.
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