The Symptoms and Causes of Monkeypox: "We are seeing cases in men who identify as gay, bisexual, or from other groups of men who have sex with men in several countries, often linked to travel," Andy Seale, adviser to the WHO Department of Global HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STIs programs.
When a person comes into contact with the Monkeypox virus—and if they are exposed enough to become infected—they won't show symptoms right away: The incubation period for the virus (the time from when a person is infected when they begin to show symptoms) can be anywhere from seven to 21 days.
From there, the symptoms present in stages. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the virus begins with the following initial symptoms:
Fever, Headache, Muscle aches, Back ache, Swollen lymph nodes, Chills, Exhaustion
About one to three days after having a fever, the illness can progress to the development of a rash that starts on the face and extends to the rest of the body. Those lesions go through the following stages before eventually falling off:
Macules (flat, discolored areas), Papules (solid, raised spots), Vesicles (small, fluid-filled blisters), Pustules (small, inflamed, pus-filled, blister-like sores), Scabs (hardened, dried out spots)
The overall length of the illness can last about two to four weeks. Monkeypox, by nature, is similar to (but milder than) smallpox symptoms.
Is Monkeypox Treatable or Preventable? There is no Monkeypox-specific treatment at this time, however the virus has proven to respond to the smallpox-specific antivirals.
"The smallpox vaccine is roughly 85% effective at preventing Monkeypox and can be used for prevention and as post-exposure prophylaxis," said Dr. Hannah Newman, director of epidemiology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
"At this time, it does not appear that we are on the brink of a serious outbreak and the risks to the general public remain very low," added dr. Newman.
Until next time, Stay Safe and Stay Healthy
James A Vito, D.M.D.