Monkeypox: Get the Facts

Monkeypox: Get the Facts
Basics
• ▪ Monkeypox (MPX) is a rare viral illness.
• ▪ Anyone can get MPX, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
• ▪ Since mid-May 2022, cases of MPX have been identified in the U.S., where cases don’t normally occur.
How it spreads
MPX can spread to anyone with close and/or skin- to-skin contact, including:
• ▪ Through respiratory droplets or fluids from someone with MPX.
• ▪ Direct contact with the rash, sores, or scabs.
• ▪ Close intimate contact, such as kissing, hugging, or sex.
• ▪ Contact with clothing, bedding, and other objects that were used by a person who has MPX.
Prevention
o ▪ Limit your number of sex partners.
o ▪ Avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like MPX.
o ▪ Do not touch bedding, towels, or clothing of a person with MPX.
o ▪ Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
o ▪ There is limited vaccine available for some people. Find out more at Monkeypox Vaccine in Minnesota.
Symptoms
Other symptoms of monkeypox can include:
▪ Fever or chills
▪ Swollen lymph nodes
▪ Headache
▪ Fatigue
▪ Body aches (including muscle and back)
Some people may have only one sore, bump, or blister. This may look different from pictures you see online.
If you have a new rash, sores, or other symptoms
A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appears on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus.
• ▪ Avoid close contact with others until you can visit a health care provider.
• ▪ Talk to your health care provider, your local clinic, or an STI testing site about getting tested for MPX: GetTested here
• ▪ To test you for MPX, the provider will swab your rash or sores.
• ▪ Remind your provider that this virus is circulating in the community or in countries you may have recently visited.
If you are diagnosed
▪ Follow the recommendations of the health care provider.
▪ Avoid close contact with others until all your sores have healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. This can take 3-4 weeks.