Monkeypox

 closely resembles smallpox in symptoms and, while smallpox was endemic, was probably mistaken for it.
 CAUSATIVE AGENT: like in the smallpox virus, it is caused by an orthopoxvirus
 STAGES:
o Infection begins with an incubation period. A person is not contagious during this phase.
o First symptoms include fever, headache, sometimes sore throat and cough, and
lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes)
** Lymphadenopathy is a distinguishing feature of monkeypox from smallpox.
o Lesions will develop in the mouth and on the body.
o Lesions progress through several stages before falling off. (A person in contagious from the onset
of the enanthem through the scab stage)
o Pitted scars and/or areas of lighter or darker skin may remain after scabs have fallen off.
o Once all scabs have fallen off a person is no longer contagious.
 TRANSMISSION: known to jump from animals to humans, but fortunately its transmission from human to
human has been very limited.
 DIAGNOSIS:
o very similar to that of ordinary forms of smallpox, including flulike symptoms, fever, malaise,
back pain, headache, and characteristic rash.
o Given this clinical spectrum, differential diagnosis to rule out smallpox is very important.
PREVENTION AND TREATMENT: vaccination for smallpox has a protective effect.