Important Information About Monkeypox
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. The virus is part of the same family of viruses as variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox. Monkeypox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder, and monkeypox is rarely fatal. Monkeypox is not related to chickenpox.
Symptoms of monkeypox can include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches and backache
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Chills
- Exhaustion
- A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appears on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus.
There are two vaccines licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) available for preventing monkeypox infection – JYNNEOS (also known as Imvamune or Imvanex) and ACAM2000. Currently, in the United States, there is a limited supply of JYNNEOS, although more is expected in coming weeks and months. The vaccine is administered in two doses, four weeks apart. Individuals are considered fully vaccinated about 2 weeks after their second shot of JYNNEOS.
Please contact your physician if you have symptoms of monkeypox, even if you don’t think you had contact with someone who has monkeypox.
