For Patients

What is Monkeypox?

Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar to smallpox but less severe. Monkeypox is endemic in parts of Central and West Africa and is occasionally found in other regions. The WHO has declared a public health emergency of international concern for Mpox.

Transmission:

• Until the rash is completely healed with new skin, any skin-to-skin contact with lesions (rash) can transmit Mpox.
• Touching surfaces that an infected person touched or used, such as clothes, bed linens, or towels.
• Respiratory droplets and aerosols from prolonged face-to-face contact.
• Sexual contact.
• Vertical transmission from a pregnant parent to the fetus.
• Close contact with an animal infected by Monkeypox.
• Eating the meat of an infected animal that has not been thoroughly cooked.
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Symptoms:

• Long incubation: No symptoms typically for 5 to 13 days, but this can range from 4 to 21 days after exposure.
• Then, for 1 to 5 days: Flu-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, headaches, fatigue, sore throat, cough, backache, chills or sweats, and swollen lymph nodes.
• Followed by: A vesicular (blistering) rash that scabs over.
• The infection lasts 2 to 4 weeks.
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Treatment:

• The illness is usually mild, and most people will recover within 2 to 4 weeks without treatment, aside from rest and fever-reducing medicines.
• Isolation, Masks, Ventilation: Wash hands often.
• Wear gloves and a mask if cleaning or washing linens or clothes. Shaking linens can release Mpox into the air.
• Vaccine: The smallpox vaccine is 85% effective at preventing Mpox if given within 3 days of exposure.
• Previous smallpox vaccination provides some protection against severe disease, but it does not provide lifelong protection from getting infected or infecting someone else with Mpox.
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Laboratory Diagnosis:

• PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction): Done on skin lesion material in a VTM.
• Ancillary lab tests: Hemogram, SGOT, SGPT, KFT, Interleukin.

References:

• Multi-country Monkeypox outbreak in non-endemic countries: Update. Disease outbreak news dated 29th May 2022. World Health Organization.
• What is Monkeypox? Monkeypox. World Health Organization. May 2022.
• Article on MPOX 2024 by Ruth Ann Crystals MD.
• Monkeypox CD Alert, National Centre for Disease Control, Directorate General of Health Services, Government of India, July 2022.

Note: This information is to raise awareness, not to cause fear.