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What is Mpox?

Mpox is a disease caused by infection with the mpox virus. Mpox virus is part of the same family of viruses as variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox. Mpox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder, and mpox is rarely fatal. Mpox is not related to chickenpox.

NYS Department of Health Mpox Info

Symptoms

People with mpox often get a rash that may be located on hands, feet, chest, face, mouth or near the genitals. The incubation period, or the number of days between when you're infected with something and when you might see symptoms, is 3-17 days. During this time, a person may feel fine and will not know that they have mpox.

The rash will go through several stages, including scabs, before healing.

The rash can initially look like pimples or blisters and may be painful or itchy.

Other symptoms of mpox can include:

Fever

Chills

Swollen lymph nodes

Exhaustion

Muscle aches and backache

Headache

Respiratory symptoms (E.g., sore throat, nasal congestion, or cough)

You may experience all or only a few symptoms:

Sometimes, people have flu-like symptoms before the rash.

Some people get a rash first, followed by other symptoms.

Others may only experience a rash.

An individual with mpox can spread it to others from the time symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed.

If You Have a New or Unexplained Rash or Other Symptoms...

Avoid close contact, including sex or being intimate with anyone, until you have been checked out by a healthcare provider.

If you don’t have a provider or health insurance, contact PFY for case management services.

When you see a healthcare provider, wear a mask, and be sure to inform them of your symptoms in advance.

Mpox symptoms usually start within 3 weeks of exposure to the virus. If someone has flu-like symptoms and has mpox, they will usually develop a rash 1-4 days later.

Treatment

Although there is no treatment specifically for mpox, drugs and vaccines developed to treat and protect against smallpox may also be effective for mpox. The type of treatment for a person with mpox will vary depending on the severity of their symptoms.

Here are some steps an individual may take to lessen the severity of their symptoms.

Do not pop or scratch lesions from the rash. This can spread the rash to other parts of the body, and possibly cause open lesions to become infected by bacteria. If you do touch the rash, wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap and water and avoid touching sensitive areas like your eyes, nose, mouth, and genitalia.

Keep skin lesions/rash clean and dry when not showering or bathing.

Non-steroidal ointments such as Benzocaine & Lidocaine can be used for temporary relief.

Oral antihistamines like Benadryl and topical creams such as calamine lotion or petroleum jelly may also help with itching.

Soaking in a warm bath (using oatmeal or other over-the-counter bath products for itchy skin) may offer some relief to the itchiness that can come with the rash.

People who have a rash in or around genitalia may also benefit from a sitz-bath. A sitz bath is a warm soak specifically for your bottom area. An individuals health care provider may prescribe medication like Povidone-iodine or other products to be added to the water in a sitz bath. Adding Epsom salt, vinegar, or baking soda to the water can be soothing.

Medicines like Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen can also help you feel better.

Vaccination

JYNNEOS is a two dose vaccine that protects against both mpox and Small Pox. JYNNEOS may be given to children and adults who are at a high risk for mpox. The second dose of JYNNEOS should be given 4 weeks after the first dose and the highest level of protection is expected to be reached 14 days after the second dose of the vaccine.

Those who have received the second dose of the JYNNEOS vaccine may still become infected with the virus, if exposed. In this case folx are more likely to experience mild symptoms due to the vaccine.

In this current outbreak there are two groups of people who may want to get vaccinated.

People who have already been exposed to mpox.
People who might be exposed in the future.

You might be exposed to mpox if:

You have been identified as a close contact of someone with mpox.
You learn that one of your sexual partners in the past 2 weeks has been diagnosed with mpox.
You are a man who has sex with men, or you are transgender, or non-binary, and in the past two weeks you have had:
- Sex with multiple partners or group sex.
- Sex at a commercial sex venue .
- sex at an event, venue or in an area where mpox transmission is occurring.

You might be exposed to mpox in the future, if:

You are a man who has sex with men, or you are transgender, or non-binary, and you have any of the following:
- A new diagnosis of one or more sexually transmitted diseases including HIV, chancroid, chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis.
- More than one sex partner.
You are a person who has had:
- Sex at a commercial sex venue (like a sex club or bathhouse).
- Sex at an event, venue, or in an area where mpox transmission is occurring.
You are a person whose sexual partner identifies with any of the above scenarios that might expose them to mpox.
You are a person who anticipates experiencing any of the above scenarios.
You are a person in with increased chances of exposure due to occupational or employment environments.

Some things to note:

If you have already been exposed, getting vaccinated as soon as possible may help prevent the disease or make it less severe.
Mpox vaccines are FREE.

Vaccination is an important tool in preventing the spread of mpox, however people who are vaccinated are encouraged to continue practicing preventative measures.

Prevention

Vaccination is an important tool in preventing the spread of mpox. If you are at risk for mpox, but haven’t received your two-dose vaccine yet, temporarily changing some parts of your sex life might reduce the risk of exposure.

It can be helpful to exchange contact information with any new partner to allow for sexual health follow-up, if needed.

Here are some ways to reduce your chances of being exposed to mpox if you are sexually active:

Take a temporary break from activities that increase exposure to mpox until you are two weeks after your second dose. This will greatly reduce your risk.

Limit your number of sexual partners to reduce your likelihood of exposure.

Condoms may protect you from exposure to mpox. However, condoms alone may not prevent all exposures to mpox since the rash can occur on other parts of the body.

Gloves might also reduce the possibility of exposure. The gloves must cover all exposed skin and be removed carefully to avoid touching the outer surface.

Avoid kissing or exchanging saliva since mpox can spread this way

Masturbate together at a distance without touching each other, and without touching any rash.

Have virtual sex with no in-person contact.

Consider having sex with your clothes on or covering areas where rash is present, reducing as much skin-to-skin contact as possible. Leather or latex gear also provides a barrier to skin-to-skin contact; just be sure to change or clean clothes/gear between partners and after use.

Be aware that mpox can also spread through respiratory droplets with close, face-to-face contact.

Remember to wash your hands, fetish gear, sex toys, and any fabrics after having sex.

Transmission

Mpox can spread to anyone through close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact, including:

Direct contact with mpox rash and scabs from a person with mpox, as well as contact with their saliva, upper respiratory secretions (snot, mucus), and areas around the anus, rectum, or vagina.

This direct contact can happen during intimate contact, including:

Oral, anal, or vaginal sex, or touching the genitals (penis, testicles, labia, and vagina) or anus of a person with mpox.
Hugging, massage, and kissing
Prolonged face-to-face contact

The risk is considered low for getting mpox by touching objects, fabrics, and surfaces that have been used by someone with mpox and not disinfected, such as clothing, bedding, towels, fetish gear, or sex toys.

A person with mpox can spread it to others from the time symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed.

Is Mpox a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI)?

In the current mpox outbreak, the virus is spreading primarily through sexual contact; however, infections have occurred through other exposures, including non-sexual contact with infectious lesions and from contaminated instruments in clinic settings.

Mpox and Pregnancy

Mpox virus can be spread to the fetus during pregnancy or to the newborn by close contact during and after birth.

Can mpox spread through water in pools, hot tubs, or splash pads?

No studies have found a clear link between mpox and water in pools, hot tubs, or splash pads. The mpox virus is killed in water at the chlorine levels recommended for disinfection in recreational water venues by CDC and required by U.S. jurisdictions.

However, it is possible to spread mpox to others through close, skin-to-skin contact. It can also be spread by sharing objects that a person with mpox used, such as towels, kickboards, pool toys, or clothing.