What Is Mpox?
Mpox is an illness caused by the monkeypox virus. It can pass among people, causes a flu-like illness and rash, and usually resolves in weeks. It is rarely fatal, and proper precautions can prevent its spread.
With recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UPMC refers to "monkeypox" as "mpox."
What Are the Symptoms of Mpox?
Symptoms usually start within one to two weeks of exposure to someone with the virus. A rash appears in almost everyone who contracts a mpox infection. Before the rash appears, some people experience flu-like symptoms such as:
- Fever.
- Chills.
- Fatigue.
- Swollen lymph nodes.
- Muscle aches.
- Headache.
A skin rash can develop that can look like a pimple or bumps filled with clear fluid or pus. A potential complication of mpox is proctitis. This is an inflammation of the lining of the rectum that can cause belly pain or pain when having a bowel movement.
Not everyone develops these symptoms, but a rash is the most common illness that the virus causes. The rash may appear within one to three days after the appearance of flu-like symptoms.
The rash can look different as the illness progresses. It can include raised, fluid-filled bumps (clear or pus). They become crusty scabs and fall off over the course of two to four weeks. The rash can be painful or itchy and may involve the eyes, mouth, genitals, or anus.
In some people, the rash spreads to many parts of the body, but in other people, it affects only one area of the body.
Is Mpox Contagious?
Symptoms of mpox often appear about one to two weeks after exposure to the virus. But the range can go anywhere from five to 21 days. Patients are infectious from initial symptoms until all skin lesions crust and fall off and a fresh layer of intact skin forms. The rash may last two to four weeks.
How Does Mpox Spread?
Mpox spreads through direct contact with body fluids, rash, or sores of someone who has mpox.
Because the virus spreads through contact, areas of skin that come in contact with an infected person may be the first or only area of the rash. Most cases are spread through close contact, including intimate or sexual contact with a person who has mpox.
Mpox may spread through direct contact with materials that have touched infected body fluids or sores. This includes clothing, towels, or bedding.
Mpox may also spread through respiratory droplets or the large mucous droplets of someone who has mpox. But it does not spread easily by air and needs close contact with an infected person.
What You Can Do to Avoid Catching Mpox
- Avoid close contact with someone diagnosed with mpox or someone who has mpox symptoms.
- Close physical contact during sex can allow the virus to pass person-to-person. Everyone who comes in close contact with a contagious person is at risk, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
- Talk to your friends and family about any recent illness. Be aware of new or unexplained sores or rashes on your body or on their bodies, including the genitals and anus. If you or your friends and family members have recently been sick, currently feel sick, or have a new or unexplained rash or sores, avoid close physical contact and see a health care provider.
- Mpox can infect certain animals, particularly mammals. But there are no documented cases of mpox transmission from humans to animals. Avoid contact with sick animals that have been in contact with an infected person. People who have mpox should minimize contact with their pets until they are well.
- Be alert for people who have a rash combined with a history of travel to areas with cases of mpox.
Testing for Mpox
If you have mpox symptoms, talk to your doctor. Testing requires a swab of the skin rash, which can take place in most clinical settings.
When to Contact Your Doctor
You should contact your doctor if you:
- Had exposure to someone with mpox.
- Have a rash along with flu-like symptoms, especially if you traveled to a country with confirmed cases of mpox.
- Had skin-to-skin contact, including intimate contact or sex with an unfamiliar partner.
Treatment for Mpox
- Most people recover without treatment. However, antiviral treatment can prevent worsening of infection and serious complications.
- Doctors may recommend tecovirimat, also known as Tpoxx®. The drug is not available in pharmacies but can be obtained through health centers participating in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded access program.
- Treatment is also available through a federally funded trial. Contact your doctor or local health department to discuss treatment and enrolling in the CDC STOMP trial. Patient enrollment in the STOMP trial is optional.
- Over-the-counter medicines such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®) can help with symptoms, including pain and fever.
Mpox Vaccine FAQs