Monkeypox
What is Monkeypox?
How is Monkeypox Transmitted?
- Zoonotic disease spread from animals (rodents, primates) to humans in Africa.
- Transmitted through contact with infected animals, their fluids, or bites.
- Human-to-human transmission via direct contact with skin lesions, bodily fluids, or respiratory droplets.
- Can infect anyone in close contact with an infected person or contaminated materials.
Symptoms of Monkeypox
- Fever, headache, muscle aches, and a rash starting on the face.
- Usually mild but can be severe in children, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems.
Prevention and Response
- Avoid contact with symptomatic individuals or contaminated materials.
- Practice good hygiene, including regular hand washing.
- Use protective measures in high-risk settings.
FAQs
There is no specific treatment of monkey pox. Symptoms resolves on its own. Medications for pain and fever can be used to relieve some symptoms.
Avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like monkeypox. Avoid contact with objects and materials that a person with monkeypox has used. Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially before eating or touching your face and after you use the bathroom.
Over 99% of people are likely to survive.
Monkeypox can spread from person to person through direct contact with infectious rash, scabs, or body fluids. It also can be spread by respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact, or during intimate physical contact. Monkeypox can spread from the time symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. Anyone in close personal contact with a person with monkeypox can get it and should take steps to protect themselves.
People who think they have monkeypox or have had close personal contact with someone who has monkeypox should visit a healthcare provider to help them decide if they need to be tested for monkeypox. Symptoms Symptoms of monkeypox can include: • Fever • Headache • Muscle aches and backache • Swollen lymph nodes • Chills • Respiratory symptoms (e.g. sore throat, nasal congestion, or cough) • A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appears on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus. The rash goes through different stages before healing completely. The illness typically lasts 2-4 weeks. Sometimes, people get a rash first, followed by other symptoms. Others only experience a rash.
