Eight early symptoms of monkey pox. These are signals that you need to isolate yourself

Monkey pox is a rare tropical disease, the first cases of which for many years were recorded in Europe in May. Do we have anything to fear? We check the early symptoms of monkey pox and what the treatment is about.

1. On June 10, the first case of monkey pox in Poland was confirmed. More than 1,5 thousand are sick. people in over 30 countries
2. Monkey pox is a zoonotic disease that is mainly transmitted by rodents 
3. Early symptoms of monkey pox include fever, muscle aches and general weakness 
4. Within three days of the onset of the first symptoms, a rash develops on the body, which may appear as blisters 
5. Monkey pox can affect the entire body, mouth and head of the patient 
6. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

Monkey pox – how does it get infected?

Monkey pox is caused by a virus of the genus Orthopoxvirus, which belongs to the Poxviridae family. It is a rare tropical disease transmitted primarily by rodents, mainly squirrels, and less frequently by monkeys, as indicated by the name of the infection.

Infection occurs primarily through direct contact with an infected animal (its saliva or body fluids) or as a result of biting. Among humans, the virus is transmitted by droplets when coughing or sneezing, but human-to-human transmission is extremely rare.

Smallpox monkey – early symptoms of the disease

The early symptoms of monkey pox can often be confused with chicken pox, which is much more contagious.

In the first stage of infection, patients complain of increased body temperature, muscle and headache, fatigue – these are flu-like symptoms.

There are eight symptoms of monkey pox that are a signal for isolation:

1. rash
2. fever, 
3. Headache, 
4. muscle aches, 
5. back pain 
6. sore throat, 
7. chills, 
8. general weakness of the body. 

Also check: Monkey pox has nothing to do with chicken pox

The incubation period for the monkey pox virus is seven to 14 days (5-21 days in some cases). During the first three days, the patient develops a rash involving the mouth and skin. Initially, the eruptions are macular and turn into blisters.

Monkey pox – what is the treatment?

Monkey pox usually lasts two to four weeks. During this time, the patient should remain isolated so as not to infect people in the vicinity. Symptomatic treatment is most often used in the case of monkey pox. The patient can be given antiviral drugs, as well as painkillers and antipyretics. After curing the disease, it is worth taking proper care of the skin. For this purpose, for example, Mediskin Medisil Cream, a hypoallergenic regenerating cream for irritation.

Do you want to check the body’s resistance? Do a pack of six immune tests to see if you can handle the virus.

Monkey pox – the first cases of infections in Europe

Monkey pox is found primarily in sub-Saharan Africa. The first non-African case was diagnosed in 2003 in North America. In early May this year, the first case of an infected man to fly from Nigeria to the UK was confirmed.

Since then, more and more cases of infection have been reported, not only in the islands, but also in Spain, Germany, France and Italy. The monkey pox virus has also reached Australia. The first cases were also reported in the United States.

Monkey pox and the coronavirus – are there any concerns?

Following the COVID-19 coronavirus, the majority of the population fear another pandemic. The main cause for concern is the similar symptoms, especially in the early stages of both viral infections. However, with monkey pox, a rash occurs very quickly, involving the patient’s body and mouth. In addition, its mortality is much lower – WHO reports that it varies between 3 and 6 percent. The mortality rate of the current monkey pox strain is estimated at about 1 percent.