Your guide to distinguishing between monkeypox and normal

02:36 PM

Friday 09 September 2022

Books – Saber Najah

The Ministry of Health and Population announced, in a statement, a few days ago, the monitoring of the first infection with monkeypox virus in Egypt, where it was discovered through the epidemiological surveillance procedures carried out by the ministry, and he was isolated in a hospital designated for isolation.

In the following lines, the Conselto reviews the most prominent differences between monkeypox and common smallpox, according to the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites.

The difference between ordinary smallpox and monkeypox

Monkeypox is a zoonotic viral disease, a virus transmitted to humans from animals, and causes symptoms similar to those seen in normal smallpox patients, although clinically less severe.

Monkeypox occurs primarily in central and western Africa, often near tropical forests.

Read also: Is monkeypox virus transmitted through the air? – “CDC” answers

Monkeypox can be transmitted from animal to human by direct contact with blood, body fluids, or skin or mucous lesions of infected animals in Africa, so people living in or near forested areas may have indirect or low-level exposure to infected animals. The monkeypox virus can be transmitted during marital relations.

The symptoms of monkeypox are very similar to those of smallpox, but they are milder, often beginning with a fever, and then followed by the following signs:

Headache.

Muscle pain.

– Back pain.

Enlarged lymph nodes.

– Chills.

Fatigue

Within 1 to 3 days, the patient develops a rash, which usually begins on the face, then spreads to other parts of the body, and may come with fluid-filled blisters.

The monkeypox virus also causes the lymph nodes to swell, while ordinary smallpox does not.

You may be interested in: Monkeypox – how is the rash identified?