Both terms will be used for the next year as WHO phases out usage of monkeypox.
Health officials are working to make sense of where and how the virus is spreading in the current outbreaks.
Here are the signs to look out for if you suspect you might have been exposed to mpox.
Verywell Health / Ellen Lindner
Mpox typically begins with flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, muscle aches, and exhaustion.
Within one to three days, a rash will likely appear.
The lesions will progress through four stagesfrom flat spots to raised bumps to blisters and lesions filled with pus.
The lesions will usually be the same size and stage of development on any given part of the body.
As the body heals from the disease, the lesions will turn into scabs and eventually fall off.
As with all diseases, individuals can express symptoms in many ways.
TheWHO saidmpox lesions may be confused with skin rashes from other conditions.
Viral testing is important to help health providers accurately diagnose mpox.
There are many common infections that could cause symptoms reminiscent of mpox.
The illness typically lasts for two to four weeks.
So far, there are no documented deaths due to mpox among people outside Africa.
Who Is at Risk of Getting Mpox?
Anyone who hasclose contactwith an infected person has a chance of getting sick with mpox.
Mpox is most often transmitted through skin-to-skin contact.
What we know right now is that it’s spread through close contact, Shenoy said.
These are eventslike social gatherings and sexual networkswhere people are more likely to have skin-to-skin contact with others.
It’s very difficult, but it can and must be done.
But there’s no evidence of that yet.
Shenoy emphasized the need to develop testing strategies to more quickly and effectively diagnose a mpox case.
We need to be sure that what we come up with in terms of solutions have an equitable impact.
World Health Organization.WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the COVID-19 media briefing 1 June 2022.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.U.S.
monkeypox 2022: Situation summary.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Monkeypox - Signs and symptoms.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Monkeypox.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Monkeypox: Clinical recognition.
Harris E.What to know about monkeypox.JAMA.
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