What is Mpox?
Mpox is a rare disease caused by the mpox virus. It can make you sick including a rash or sores (pox), often with an earlier flu-like illness. Mpox can spread to anyone through close, personal, often skin-to skin contact.
Mpox can spread through:
• Direct contact with mpox rash, sores or scabs
• Contact with objects, clothing, bedding, towels, or surfaces used by someone with mpox
• Respiratory droplets or oral fluids from a person with mpox
• Mpox can spread from the time symptoms start until all sores have healed, which can take several weeks
• Early flu-like symptoms of monkeypox can include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and exhaustion
• Rash appears within 1 to 3 days (sometimes longer) after fever, often beginning on the face then spreading to other parts of the body
• Illness usually lasts 2–4 weeks
It is important to take the following steps to prevent the spread of mpox:
- Check:
- Your skin for bumps, blisters, or rash that may look like pimples.
- Genital areas, around the anus, trunk, face, hands and back.
- Yourself and your partners.
- Rash may be in the mouth, urethra, and/or rectum. Some or all symptoms may be present during mpox infection. Isolate if you experience fever, swollen lymph nodes, and/or rash, which may or may not be painful.
- Avoid skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like mpox.
- Wash your hands often.
- Avoid contact with objects and materials that a person with mpox has used.
- If you feel unwell or think you may have mpox, avoid close contact with others.
- Do not share bedding/towels and avoid skin-to-skin contact.
- Wear a mask around others.
- Whenever possible, limit the number of sex partners. A tight or closed network of partners may help reduce your risk of infection.
- Avoid sex with partners whose mpox status is unknown.
The mpox vaccine is available to anyone who:
- Has had skin-to-skin or intimate contact (e.g., household members with close physical contact or intimate partners) with someone diagnosed with mpox.
- Exchanges goods or services for sex.
- Lives with HIV, especially persons not in HIV care or not regularly taking their HIV medications.
- Is eligible for or is currently taking PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) to help prevent infection with HIV.
OR
- Is a sexually active bisexual, gay and other same gender-loving man, or sexually active transgender individuals.
OR
- Is a sexual partner of those included above, or individuals who anticipate meeting criteria above in the future.
Especially consider getting vaccinated if you:
- Met recent partners online, or at clubs, raves, sex parties, or saunas.
- Were diagnosed with sexually transmitted infection(s) in the past six months.
Please call 855-955-5428 to schedule your vaccine appointment. If you have any questions or concerns, call us for more information.
CDPH recommends Mpox screening for patients who meet the following criteria:
- People experiencing Mpox symptoms, such as bumps, rash, or lesions that can be swabbed for testing.
If you meet the above criteria, call us at 855-955-5428 to schedule an Mpox screening appointment. Mpox screening appointments last about 20 minutes.
Tecovirimat (TPOXX) is an available treatment for qualifying people with severe Mpox. Because TPOXX is available through the CDC’s Expanded Access Investigational New Drug (EA-IND) protocol, we are required to obtain written informed consent prior to starting the medication. Only a small percentage of people with Mpox will be eligible for treatment with TPOXX.
Eligibility for TPOXX includes:
- Experiencing severe disease such as hemorrhagic disease, lesions that are extensive, sepsis, encephalitis, or other conditions requiring hospitalization.
- Being at high risk of severe disease including people with immunocompromising conditions, such as recent organ transplant or on cancer-suppressing drugs; people who are pregnant or breastfeeding; people with gastroenteritis with severe nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, or dehydration; and people with infections involving accidental implantation in eyes, mouth, or other anatomic areas where Mpox virus infection might constitute a special hazard (e.g., the genitals or anus).
Talk to your healthcare provider to determine if you are eligible for Mpox treatment with TPOXX.
If you have screened positive for mpox or are experiencing mpox symptoms, it is important to do what you can to minimize the chance of exposure to others.
- Self-isolate as much as possible until you are no longer experiencing symptoms.
- If you have lesions or a rash, cover them with clothing or a soft cloth when interacting with others or leaving your home.
- Do not share your bedding, towels, clothes, or other fabrics with others. Wash and dry your used bedding, towels, and clothing after use.
- Avoid skin-to-skin contact with others and use a face mask around others to minimize their risk of infection from large droplets from coughing or sneezing.
- Supportive care for any rash or lesions includes drinking plenty of fluids, pain management, and prevention or treatment of bacterial infections.
