Monkeypox

A virus that can cause blisters and sometimes rectal inflammation

What is Monkeypox?

Monkeypox is a virus. At the moment, the virus is mostly found among men who have sex with men Pay attention to symptoms like fever, headache and muscle pains. After that, you can get blisters and sometimes rectal inflammation

Condoms may prevent severe symptoms. The Dutch government offers vaccination to those men who are most at risk of getting monkeypox

Information provided by the website: www.mantotman.nl

How do you get monkeypox?

Monkeypox is not a real STD. Because you can get the virus without having sex. You can get monkeypox when you have intense contact with someone who has the virus. It can be on someone’s skin (in wounds or blisters) or in someone’s mucus or breath. You can get it:

  • During sex
  • When you kiss
  • Touching eachother for a long time, for instance hugging
  • If you are using the clothes or bed sheets from someone who has the virus
  • Via surfaces, if there is active virus on it

How to prevent getting monkeypox

Do not have sex

  • When you have symptoms that could be monkeypox
  • When you have been close to someone who has told you they (might) have monkeypox
  • When someone has told this to the person you want to have sex with
  • If you feel sick (such as fever)

If you do get symptoms, wait until they are completely gone before you have sex again. And get tested. If you get a warning, but you do not have any symptoms, please wait to have sex for 21 days. Counting from the moment that you had sex with the person who has monkeypox.

Use condoms

Condoms cannot prevent getting monkeypox. Still, our advice is to use condoms. A condom can help protect skin that is thin and moist, such as your penis, mouth and anus. Symptoms are often more serious in those spots. By using condoms, you might reduce the chance of getting anal inflammation from monkeypox.

Monkeypox is not a real STD. Because you can get the virus without having sex. You can get monkeypox when you have intense contact with someone who has the virus. It can be on someone’s skin (in wounds or blisters) or in someone’s mucus or breath. You can get it:

  • During sex
  • When you kiss
  • Touching eachother for a long time, for instance hugging
  • If you are using the clothes or bed sheets from someone who has the virus
  • Via surfaces, if there is active virus on it

Most people do not have a lot of complaints from monkeypox. Some people get serious complaints.

If you have monkeypox, the first symptoms you might notice are:

  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Muscle pain
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Tiredness
  • Often: rectal pain or inflammation (proctitis)

These symptoms will appear between 5 and 21 days after infection.

After a couple of days, you will get a skin rash. Most men who are now have monkeypox have a rash around their anus and penis

  • The rash starts with spots. Which turn into blisters
  • In the beginning, these can look just like common pimples
  • Fluid can come out of the blisters
  • The blisters can be itchy and painful
  • After the blisters dry up, they leave scabs behind, which will eventually fall off your skin. This can take up to 4 weeks. This can leave you scars

It mostly takes 3-4 weeks before the symptoms pass completely. Until you have symptoms, you can pass on the virus. Wait until the dried-up scabs have fallen off of your skin by themselves.

For most people, the virus does not seem very dangerous. It can be painful. It can only be deadly for people with a very weak immune system. This is extremely rare in Europe.

Monkeypox will heal on its own after a couple of weeks. There is also medication that can help you heal and numb the pain. Once cured from monkeypox, you cannot get the virus again.

You want more information?

For all information regarding the Monkeypox please visit the website of Man tot Man. On this website you will find all the institutions and addresses for more information, tests and other relevant information about this topic. Click the logo for info.