What is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a viral infection. It usually has mild symptoms that can be helped with over the counter pain relief. It usually clears up by itself with the symptoms lasting from 2 to 4 weeks.
What are the symptoms?
Initial symptoms can include fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, exhaustion, and swollen lymph nodes.
Within a few days a rash can develop, often on the face, mouth, and/or various parts of the body, including around the genitals or anus. The rash changes and goes through different stages, like chickenpox, before finally becoming a scab. The rash can look different from person to person. It can resemble a pimple, a blister, or an ulcer. The rash may also look similar to herpes or syphilis.
What should I do?
Avoid close contact with others and seek medical attention.
See your GP or sexual health centre who can test you for monkeypox.
Am I at greater risk if I’m HIV-positive?
There is very limited evidence on monkeypox in people living with HIV. At the moment, people living with HIV should follow the same advice as the general population.
Should evidence emerge that people with suppressed immune systems are at greater risk of monkeypox, then updated information and advice will be made available.
Where can I get more information?
Colourised transmission electron micrograph of monkeypox particles (teal) found within an infected cell (brown), cultured in the laboratory. Credit: NIAID