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Mpox

What is mpox?

Mpox is an illness caused by a virus. You may hear it called monkeypox. It can cause fever, swollen lymph nodes, body aches, and a rash with blisters that hurt. The illness lasts about 2 to 4 weeks.

It can spread from animals to people and spread from person to person. Mpox is most common in Central and West Africa. In spring 2022, mpox cases were reported in Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and the U.S. Cases of mpox are confirmed throughout the U.S. Information about mpox in the U.S. is changing regularly. For the latest information, go to the CDC website.

What causes mpox?

Mpox is caused by a virus. It was first called monkeypox because it first showed up in 1958 in monkeys held for research. But experts don’t yet know all the animals that may carry mpox. African squirrels, rats, other rodents, and monkeys may spread it to people. People with mpox symptoms can then spread it to others through close contact from the time symptoms start until the rash is fully healed. Scientists are still trying to find out if people can spread the virus to others [HR1] if they don’t yet have symptoms.

The virus can spread in any of these ways:

  • Touching the blisters or rash of a person with mpox
  • Contact with the respiratory droplets of a person who has mpox
  • Touching clothing, bedding, or objects that have touched a sick animal or person with mpox
  • Kissing or having sex with a person who has mpox
  • Touching infected animals, meat, or products made from infected animals
  • From an infected pregnant person to their baby, through the placenta

Who is at risk for mpox?

The mpox virus spreads mostly through close, intimate contact with someone who has the virus. You’re at risk for the virus if you have direct, close contact with a person with mpox. Close contact means:

  • Intimate physical contact, such as kissing, cuddling or sex
  • Touching a person’s rash, scabs, or body fluids
  • Handling items such as clothing or linens that touched a rash or body fluids
  • Inhaling droplets breathed out from someone with mpox

Pregnant people with mpox can spread the virus through the placenta to the baby in their womb.

You’re at higher risk if any of these apply to you:

  • You’ve been identified by a public health official as a contact of a person with mpox.
  • You know any of your sexual partners in the past 2 weeks have been diagnosed with mpox.
  • You’ve had multiple sex partners in the past 2 weeks in an area that has mpox.
  • You have a job that exposes you to mpox. This includes lab workers and some healthcare workers.

What are the symptoms of mpox?

Symptoms can happen from 6 days up to 21 days after contact with a person who had mpox. When you have symptoms, you can spread the virus to other people.

The symptoms may start with:

  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Sore or swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, or groin
  • Muscle aches
  • Backache
  • Chills
  • Feeling very tired

Within 1 to 3 days, a rash with blisters will show up on your body. The rash starts with small red spots that have flat area or dimple in the middle. The spots then form a fluid-filled top over 1 to 2 days. These blisters can look like pimples.

The first spots may be in your mouth and on your tongue. They may show up on your face and spread to other parts of your body. They can spread to your whole body but be worse on your arms and legs. They can spread to the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet.

The blisters may be the size of sesame seeds up to the size of a pencil eraser or a little larger (2 to 10 mm). They may hurt. The illness lasts for 2 to 4 weeks. As the blisters dry up and form scabs, they may feel itchy. You may have dark spots where the rash was on your skin. After all scabs have fallen off, you won’t spread the virus to other people.

How is mpox diagnosed?

A healthcare provider will look at your blisters and ask about your symptoms. They will ask about recent travel or contact with sick people who had blisters. They may take a sample of fluid by swabbing your blisters. This is sent to a lab to look for the mpox virus.

How is mpox treated?

There is no specific treatment for mpox. Most people get better on their own over time. Some people with severe illness may need to be in a hospital for IV fluids and other care.

Antiviral medicines used for smallpox may help some people who are at high risk of severe illness. Your healthcare provider can tell you if medicine is available. Tell your healthcare provider if:

  • You are pregnant or breastfeeding
  • You have a problem with your immune system

What are possible complications of mpox?

In severe cases, mpox can lead to problems such as sepsis, encephalitis, or pneumonia. It may infect the eye. This can cause vision loss. mpox can lead to death in up to 1 in 10 people who get it. This is much less common in places outside Africa.

Can mpox be prevented?

If you’re planning to travel, check if the area has mpox. Go to the CDC mpox outbreak map.

If you’re in an area that has mpox:

  • Don’t have close contact with sick people.
  • Don’t have close contact with a person who has blisters on their skin or genitals.
  • Don’t kiss, hug, or have sex with any person who is sick or has blisters. See the CDC website for safer sex tips.
  • Don’t touch anything used by a sick person. This includes clothes, bedding, or other objects.
  • Wash your hands often, especially if you are near a sick person or animals.
  • Stay away from animals that can spread mpox if you're in Central or West Africa. This includes rats, monkeys, and apes. Don’t touch anything that was in contact with a sick or dead animal.
  • Don’t use products made from wild animals in Africa. This includes creams, lotions, and powders.

Mpox vaccine

The CDC states that a vaccine is important to prevent the spread of mpox. The CDC advises a vaccine for people who have been exposed to mpox and people who may be more likely to get mpox. Talk with your healthcare provider about your risks and if you should get a vaccine.

There are 2 vaccines are approved to help prevent mpox infection:

  • JYNNEOS. This is the preferred vaccine. It is given as a 2-dose shot, 4 weeks apart. But the JYNNEOS supply is limited at this time. It takes 2 weeks after the 2nd shot for you to be fully protected. The JYNNEOS vaccine can be given by a shot just under the skin (intradermal) or more deeply into the skin (subcutaneous).
  • ACAM2000. This is a 1-dose shot. It is more available but is not recommended by the CDC at this time. It is not advised for people with a weak immune system. It takes 4 weeks after the 1-dose vaccine for you to be fully protected.

Talk with your provider about your risk and which vaccine is best for you.

If you’re at higher risk of mpox from sex, the CDC suggests a temporary change to intimate activity that raises your risk of contact with the virus. This can help slow the spread of mpox until the vaccine supply increases. Experts do not know how long the protection lasts from any of the vaccines.

If you have symptoms of mpox

If you have been exposed to mpox and have any symptoms:

  • Call a healthcare provider. Tell them you may have symptoms of mpox. Follow all instructions from the healthcare provider.
  • Limit contact with family members. Don't kiss anyone or share eating or drinking utensils. Don't share clothing or bedding. Clean surfaces you touch with disinfectant. Wash all clothing and bedding. This is to help prevent the virus from spreading.
  • Tell all sexual partners if you have any mpox symptoms. If you or a partner has or recently had symptoms, don't have intimate contact. This includes kissing. Go to the CDC website for tips about safer sex.
  • Stay away from work, school, and public places until cleared by a healthcare provider. This includes public transport.
  • Tell your healthcare provider about your recent travel. This includes local travel on public transport. Staff may need to find other people you have been in contact with.

Isolation from other people

If you have been diagnosed with mpox or are waiting for test results, the CDC advises you to stay isolated at home. Stay away from other people during the illness. It’s best to stay away from people for about 2 to 4 weeks. But this is not always possible. The CDC advises you to isolate from others as long as you have any of these:

  • Fever
  • Respiratory symptoms such as a cough, sore throat, or nasal congestion

If you have a rash or blisters but no respiratory symptoms:

  • Cover all parts of the rash with clothing, gloves, or bandages.
  • Wear a well-fitted mask. This is to prevent your respiratory droplets from spreading. The mask should fit closely on your face. It should have no gaps around the nose or edges of the mask.

Until all your symptoms have fully gone away:

  • Stay out of crowds
  • Don’t share personal items
  • Wash your hands often or use an alcohol-based sanitizer

When should I call my healthcare provider?

Call your healthcare provider if you have been exposed to mpox, especially if you have any symptoms.

Key points about mpox

  • Mpox is an illness caused by a virus. The illness lasts about 2 to 4 weeks.
  • It can cause fever, swollen lymph nodes, and body aches. It causes a rash with blisters that hurt.
  • The virus is spread through close contact with infected people, or their clothes or objects.
  • You’re at risk for the virus if you have close contact with a person who may have it.
  • A vaccine is available. Talk with your healthcare provider about your risks and getting the vaccine.
  • See the CDC website for information about safer sex and other protection.

Next steps

Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider:

  • Know the reason for your visit and what you want to happen.
  • Before your visit, write down questions you want answered.
  • Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and remember what your provider tells you.
  • At the visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis, and any new medicines, treatments, or tests. Also write down any new instructions your provider gives you.
  • Know why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed, and how it will help you. Also know what the side effects are.
  • Ask if your condition can be treated in other ways.
  • Know why a test or procedure is recommended and what the results could mean.
  • Know what to expect if you do not take the medicine or have the test or procedure.
  • If you have a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that visit.
  • Know how you can contact your provider if you have questions.

Date last modified: 12/28/2022