Monkeypox: What It Is And What You Need To Know

The news headlines have been filled with stories about Monkeypox.  If you are like us, you may not have heard of Monkeypox before and may have some questions about what it is and how it is transmitted. Well...here is what we know.  

Monkeypox is a virus transmitted to humans from animals and its symptoms are very similar to those seen in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe.  Human-to-human transmission can result from close contact with respiratory secretions, skin lesions of an infected person or recently contaminated objects.

Monkeypox primarily occurs in Central and West Africa near tropical rainforests. Since 2017, Nigeria has experienced a large outbreak, with over 500 suspected cases and over 200 confirmed cases and a case fatality ratio of approximately 3%. Monkeypox has also been reported in travelers from Nigeria to Israel in September 2018, to the United Kingdom in September 2018, December 2019, May 2021, and May 2022, to Singapore in May 2019, and to the United States in July and November 2021 and May 2022.

Monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting from 2 to 4 weeks. Common symptoms include: 

• Fever

• Headache

• Muscle aches and backache

• Swollen lymph nodes

• Chills

• Exhaustion

• A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appear on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus.

Sometimes, people get a rash first, followed by other symptoms. Others only experience a rash.

Severe cases occur more commonly among children and are related to the extent of virus exposure, patient health status and nature of complications. Underlying immune deficiencies may lead to worse outcomes.  Complications of monkeypox can include secondary infections, bronchopneumonia, sepsis, encephalitis, and infection of the cornea with ensuing loss of vision. The extent to which asymptomatic infection may occur is unknown.

We at Health Karma like to bring you useful information and break down clinical terms and issues into plain language that is easy to understand and use.  But from time to time the information or situation is changing rapidly and it is best to get your information directly from a trusted source - a source where we do a majority of our research.  So we recommend that you connect to the Centers for Disease Control to get up-to-the-minute information on Monkeypox.

If you suspect that you have been exposed to the virus or you have any other health concerns don't hesitate to access your Health Karma Virtual Care - connect to a doctor or a licensed behavioral therapist any time 24/7 to address any and all health issues. Simply click here to review and access all your Health Karma services.