A man named Jeffrey Todd of California, USA, recently discovered a strange lump on his cheek. At first he thought it was acne, but as time went on, he realized that it was not so serious. This is because the appearance was very similar to the picture of the monkey pox lesion uploaded to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Todd, who eventually tested positive for monkey pox, told CBS News that his symptoms were never mild. The lesions began to spread to the arms and back and “experienced painful symptoms, like a serious gunshot wound,” he said.
Although monkey pox is well known as a disease characterized by skin lesions, it is not easy for the patient to suspect the infection himself as it is a new and unfamiliar disease to many people. Like Jeffrey, there are cases where they themselves suspect the possibility of monkey pox infection, but in general, it is difficult to determine whether or not an infection is present just by looking at the lesion.
Professor Yeom Jun-seop of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Severance Hospital said, “Skin rash caused by monkeypox infection can appear in various ways and can be similar to the skin pattern seen in chickenpox or syphilis. is difficult to understand easily. It is recommended that you seek medical attention,” he said.
The prominent symptom of monkey pox is a skin lesion, but other symptoms such as fever and headache can also be accompanied, so it can be confusing which department to visit.
Regarding this, Professor Yeom said, “A visit to a dermatologist is recommended for general skin rashes, but monkey pox is a disease that has never been experienced in Korea. I think,” he said.
He continued, “No matter which department you receive treatment, it is most important for the patient to provide the doctor with an accurate medical history, such as overseas visit history and contact history with monkey pox patients or suspected patients. If it is difficult, you can visit a dermatologist or internal medicine department to receive treatment,” he added.
If you have recently been to a country where monkey pox is endemic, have been in contact with someone who has been there, or have spent close time with an infected or suspected monkey pox patient, you should visit the infectious disease department, dermatology department, or internal medicine department to reveal your history and receive treatment. If there is no such history and only skin lesions appear without other accompanying symptoms, it is highly likely that it is another dermatological disease, so you should visit a local dermatologist first.
It would be good to know the characteristic symptoms of this monkey pox epidemic. The symptoms are different from those seen in Africa, where monkey pox is an endemic disease. Professor Yeom said, “Skin lesions may occur around the anus, around the groin, or around the mouth, the rash may not spread throughout the body, there may be no skin rashes on the palms and soles of the feet, and there may be only one or several skin lesions. The difference from the existing monkey pox symptoms is that it may be just a dog,” he explained.
By Moon Se-young, staff reporter pomy80@kormedi.com
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