Show What is monkeypox?Human monkeypox is a zoonotic viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox. The first human case was identified in 1970.1 Monkeypox is considered a re-emerging disease that has caused multiple localized outbreaks since 2017. The monkeypox virus is now spreading rapidly in many countries that have not historically had cases. About the virus:
What are the symptoms and complications of monkeypox?Monkeypox can have wide-ranging clinical manifestations, including:
While monkeypox is usually self-limiting and typically spontaneously resolves within a few weeks, some individuals (e.g., children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised persons) may experience serious health complications including:3
How is monkeypox transmitted?Human-to-human monkeypox transmission, including nosocomial and household transmission, has been well documented. Monkeypox can be transmitted through close contact with an infected animal (e.g., rodents) or human, or fomites (e.g., contaminated clothing or bedding) and through infectious aerosols emitted by patients in the infectious period. The virus can enter the body through the respiratory tract, broken skin (even if not visible, via contact with bodily fluids), or mucous membranes (eyes, nose, or mouth). Prolonged upper respiratory tract viral shedding from patients with monkeypox has been documented even after skin lesion resolution.4 Transmission from viral shedding may also begin prior to the onset of rash.5 Asymptomatic cases have been documented both prior to and during the 2022 outbreak.6 The World Health Organization reported that nearly 10 percent of cases detected were asymptomatic.7 What protections do nurses and other health care workers need to care for a patient with confirmed or suspected monkeypox?Monkeypox requires airborne, contact, and droplet precautions.
NOTE: For nurses who work in California, the Cal/OSHA Aerosol Transmissible Diseases Standard requires that health care facilities implement airborne precautions for monkeypox cases, including:
1. Ježek et al., “Human Monkeypox: Clinical Features of 282 Patients,” The Journal of Infectious Diseases, August 1987 |