As discussed by Adjunct Clinical Professor, Tony Korman, Director, Monash Infectious Diseases, at our employee forum this week, two cases of monkeypox have been identified in Australia recently. Cases have also been diagnosed in 15 other countries.
The important thing to note is, monkeypox is not COVID. Due to the nature of its transmissibility, monkeypox will not result in a pandemic. Prolonged close contact with a symptomatic person is required for human-to-human transmission to occur.
What to look for
The incubation period of monkeypox is generally 7 to 14 days. Symptoms on days 1 to 3 are non-specific including fever, headache, muscle pain and enlarged lymph nodes. This is followed by a widespread rash, progressing from flat red spots to fluid-filled and pus-filled blisters before forming scabs.
Suspected monkeypox?
There are precautions you can take if you are treating a patient suspected to have monkeypox:
- Isolate the patient, taking both contact and airborne precautions, wearing an N95 mask, eye protection, gown and gloves
- Notify Infectious Diseases
- Specimen collection including swabs of lesions and oral/nasal (national guidelines under development).
Treatment and prevention
While there are no proven treatments, some antivirals may be considered.
Smallpox vaccines are known to be effective in preventing monkeypox, and could be considered for some close contacts. However, wide-spread vaccination against monkeypox is not likely.
For more information about monkeypox, a reference document will be available on PROMPT soon.
Approved by Adjunct Clinical Professor Tony Korman, Director Monash Infectious Diseases