Questions about the raremonkeypox virusare on the rise in tandem with reports about new cases of the zoonotic disease.
Among them: How worried should you be about the recent outbreak?
How does monkeypox spread?
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And what does a monkeypox rash look like, anyway?
What are the typical signs and symptoms of monkeypox?
What makes a monkeypox rash different from otherskin rashes?
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Heres what you should know.
What are the most common monkeypox symptoms?
People do not have symptoms and are not contagious during the incubation period.
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Symptoms might also include a sore throat and cough, muscle aches, backache, chills, and exhaustion.
People may or may not be contagious during this time.
One to three days after the fever startsthough sometimes a little longerthe monkeypox rash begins to appear.
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What does a monkeypox rash look like and how does it progress?
EnanthemUsually the first lesions will be inside the mouth or on the tongue.
This first sign of a rash marks when a person becomes contagious.
The stage lasts one to two days.
PapulesTypically, by day three, the rash lesions will become slightly raised and feel firm.
This stage also lasts one to two days.
VesiclesBy day four or five, the raised lesions fill up with clear fluid.
This lasts one to two days.
PustulesBy day six or seven, the lesions become filled with opaque, yellowish fluid.
They are sharply raised, firm-feeling, and often round.
ScabsBy day 14, the lesions will become crusty scabs.
At this point, the lesionswhich patients often describe as painful throughout the stageswill become itchy.
After a week or so, the scabs start falling off.
After all the lesions fall off, the person is no longer considered contagious.
Generally, there are more lesions on a persons face and extremities than on their trunk.
