Monkeypox
Human monkeypox (MPX) is a viral disease usually transmitted from animals to humans, which begins with a combination of the following symptoms:
- fever
- headache
- chills
- physical weakness
- lymph node swelling
- back pain and muscle aches
These are usually followed by mucous membrane lesions and a characteristic skin rash.
In 2022, for the first time, many outbreaks were reported in the EU and worldwide (in countries where it is not common) that were unrelated to travel or imported mammals. In the ongoing outbreak, transmission of MPX is mainly from human to human during sexual contact and several observations have noted differences in the clinical presentation.
Although the majority of cases in the current outbreak have been observed among men who have sex with men (MSM), anyone who has close contact with someone infectious can catch monkeypox.
