Mpox, previously known as monkeypox Patient Information

• Most people with mpox will get a rash
• The rash may appear anywhere on the body including genitals, anus, hands, feet, chest, and face, or in the mouth, vagina, or anus
• Some people have flu-like symptoms 1-3 days before or during the appearance of rash
• Flu-like symptoms: fever, headache, muscle aches and backache, sore throat, cough, swollen lymph nodes, chills, or exhaustion
• The rash can look like pimples, blisters, or small boils and may be painful or itchy
• The rash will go through several stages including scabs, before healing
• Mpox can be spread from when symptoms start until the rash is fully healed
• Several weeks may pass before all scabs have fallen off and a fresh layer of skin has formed
  

If you start experiencing these symptoms or have a new or unexplained rash, isolate from others immediately and seek care from a healthcare provider.

Mpox can be spread from the time symptoms start until the rash has healed, the scabs have fallen off and a fresh layer of skin is formed. The illness usually lasts 2-4 weeks. An individual is no longer contagious when all scabs have fallen off and fresh skin is formed.

Your provider will collect several specimens from multiple lesions on your body. The public health department will follow up with you to discuss your lab results. 

Isolation after visiting UTMB clinics/Emergency Department

If mpox virus is suspected or confirmed, you should isolate until cleared by the public health department. Someone from the public health department will be contacting you to discuss your illness and isolation procedures.

• Do not leave the home except as required for emergencies or follow-up medical care.
• Persons without an essential need to be in the home should not visit.
• Avoid close contact with others and pets in the home.
• Abstain from all sexual activity.
• Do not share items that could be contaminated by the lesions (e.g., bed linens, clothing, towels, wash cloths). Do not share drinking glasses or eating utensils.
• Routinely clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces and items (e.g., counters, light switches) using an EPA-registered disinfectant (e.g., List Q) in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Examples include Clorox and Lysol disinfectant wipes.
• Check that your cleaning products are EPA-registered and follow the product directions for cleaning and disinfecting. 

• Wear a well-fitting mask or respirator for source control when in close contact with others at home.
• Avoid use of contact lenses to prevent inadvertent infection of the eye.
• Avoid shaving areas of the body with lesions as this can lead to spread of the virus.
• Bathroom usage:
• If possible, use a separate bathroom if there are others who live in the same household.
• If there is not a separate bathroom in the home, clean and disinfect surfaces (e.g., counters, toilet seats, faucets) using an EPA-registered household cleaning product (List Q) after using a shared space if the lesions are exposed (e.g., showering, toileting, changing bandages covering the lesions). Consider using disposable gloves while cleaning if lesions are present on the hands.

• Limit exposure to others:
• Avoid contact with unaffected individuals until lesions have resolved, the scabs have fallen off, and a fresh layer of intact skin has formed.
• Isolate in a room or area separate from other household members and pets when possible.
• Limit use of spaces, items, and food that are shared with other household members.
• Do not share dishes and other eating utensils. It is not necessary for the infected person to use separate utensils if properly washed. Wash soiled dishes and eating utensils in a dishwasher or by hand with warm water and soap.
• Limit contamination within household:
• Avoid direct contact with upholstered furniture and porous materials that cannot be laundered by placing coversheets, waterproof mattress covers, blankets, or tarps over these surfaces. Additional precautions such as steam cleaning can be considered if there is concern about contamination.
• When possible, the person with mpox should change their own bandages and handle contaminated linens while wearing disposable gloves, followed by immediate handwashing after removing gloves.
• As a last resort, if assistance is needed with these activities, a household member should avoid extensive contact and wear, at a minimum, disposable medical gloves and a well-fitting mask or respirator. Any clothing that contacts the rash during dressing changes should be immediately laundered. Gloves should be disposed of after use, followed by handwashing.