Monkeypox is a virus that was transmitted to humans from animals and it has symptoms similar to those seen in smallpox patients in the past, although it is less severe.
The virus was originally discovered in monkeys in a Danish laboratory in 1958, which is where the illness gets its name. The first human case was identified in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Symptoms of monkeypox include:
- Unexplained acute rash AND one or more of the following symptoms:
- Headache
- Acute onset of fever (greater than 101.3oF/38.5oC)
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Muscle and body aches
- Back pain
- Weakness/exhaustion
The rash will scab before falling off. Illness from monkeypox typically lasts for two to four weeks. In Africa, as many as 10% of people who contract the disease will die.
Monkeypox usually goes away on its own without treatment, but children, pregnant women, or people who are immunocompromised may develop severe symptoms.
There is currently no proven treatment for monkeypox virus infection. In the U.S., methods used to help control a monkeypox outbreak may include:
- Smallpox vaccine
- Antivirals
- Vaccinia immune globulin (VIG)
How Is Monkeypox Transmitted?
Monkeypox is caused by the monkeypox virus which belongs to the orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family.
- Monkeypox virus is transmitted from person to person by close contact with lesions, bodily fluids, and respiratory droplets. It can also be spread by contact with an infected animal or contact with contaminated materials such as bedding.
- The monkeypox virus enters the body most often through the respiratory tract, though it can also enter the body through broken skin (it can pass through small lesions that may not even be visible), or mucous membranes (such as in the eyes, nose, or mouth).
How Is Monkeypox Diagnosed?
Monkeypox is diagnosed with a patient history and physical examination. The patient history may include questions about travel history to a country in which monkeypox is endemic and a person’s sexual history.
A suspected case is one with a characteristic rash and at least one other symptom such as:
- Headache
- Acute onset of fever (greater than 101.3oF/38.5oC)
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Muscle and body aches
- Back pain
- Weakness/exhaustion
Suspected cases may be treated under the assumption that they are presumptive cases.
Monkeypox cases may be confirmed using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, however, tests are usually sent to a local or state laboratory to first identify if the sample is from the genus that monkeypox belongs to, and then on to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to confirm if the case is actually monkeypox.
How Do You Prevent Monkeypox?
Jynneos (also called Imvamune or Imvanex) is an attenuated live virus vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention of monkeypox.
Steps to help prevent contracting monkeypox include:
- Avoiding skin to skin or face-to-face contact with anyone who has symptoms
- Practicing safe sex
- Washing hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and maintaining respiratory etiquette.
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Switzerland. World Health Organization. "Multi-country monkeypox outbreak in non-endemic countries." 21 May 2022. https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2022-DON385
United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Monkeypox." June 17, 2002. https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/index.html