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Mpox: What You Need to Know

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Mpox is a disease caused by infection with a virus. The first human case of mpox was recorded in 1970, in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo.   

People with mpox often get a rash that may be located on the hands, feet, chest, face or mouth or near the genitals and the anus. Other symptoms can include fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, muscle aches and backache, headache and respiratory symptoms. 

The mpox virus can spread through close, personal contact including direct skin-to-skin contact with mpox rash or scabs or contact with saliva, upper respiratory secretions and bodily fluids or lesions. Pregnant people with mpox can pass the virus to the fetus during pregnancy or to the newborn during and after birth. The virus can also spread though contact with contaminated materials like clothing, towels or bedding. 

There are two subtypes of the virus that causes mpox: clade I and clade II. Clade I can cause more severe illness and deaths. In response to the spread of mpox caused by the clade I virus in multiple African countries, the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern in August 2024. Clade II, which usually causes less severe infections, is the virus type that caused a global outbreak of mpox in 2022-2023. 

There is no treatment specifically for mpox. But because the viruses that cause mpox and smallpox are closely related, drugs and vaccines developed to treat and protect against smallpox may be effective for mpox. Vaccination is an important tool in preventing the spread of mpox. 

 

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Public Policy, Advocacy and Action

IDSA has updated our site with the term “mpox” to reduce stigma and other issues associated with prior terminology. This change is aligned with the Nov. 28, 2022, World Health Organization decision. Some webpages and materials created prior to this date, or linked to on other sites, may still reflect the old name.

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