Monkeypox: How do you know if skin irritation could be the disease?

Rashes can be caused by many things, including — but very rarely — the monkeypox virus.

In Brazil, no cases of the disease have yet been identified.

However, with monkeypox cases identified in many countries, what are the points you should consider and examine?

Could it really be monkeypox?

The first thing you should ask yourself is: do you think you might have been exposed?

It takes prolonged close contact (often with the skin) of an infected person. At the moment, there are very few people in the world with the disease, which means that the opportunities for contagion are not many.

If you’ve contracted monkeypox, the first thing you’ll notice are flu-like symptoms — tiredness, malaise and fever. This is what doctors call the “invasion period” of the disease, when the virus enters your cells.

You will feel swollen lymph nodes because your immune system is getting stronger to fight the infection.

Then come the skin rashes, which go through different stages. They start out red and without volume, then gain volume and bubbles, before forming the husks.

Rosamund Lewis of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Emergencies Program explains: “It starts with what we call macules. They are just red areas. Then they progress to papules. These you can feel. They have volume.”

These red lumps and lumps then begin to form blisters, filled with a whitish, pus-like fluid. These pustules then begin to dry and form scabs. Eventually, the husks will heal and fall off. “Therefore, it can be confused with chickenpox,” according to Lewis.

The rashes caused by monkey pox usually start on the face — sometimes also in the mouth — and then spread to the arms and legs, hands and feet, in addition to the body’s trunk.

And in some of the more recent cases, rashes have often been observed near the genital area. “Eruptions may not be visible because they may be covered,” explains Lewis.

The rashes — which can look slightly different on different skin tones — can contaminate clothing and bedding.

The advice of the UK Public Health Agency is to watch for any unusual changes or lesions on the skin, especially in the genital area, and to contact emergency care or sexual health services with any concerns.

“It can be difficult to differentiate the different types of eruptions. Therefore, if in doubt, follow the recommendations and seek medical attention”, guides Dr. Tanya Bleiker, president of the British Dermatology Association.

What else can eruptions be?

There are many possibilities, but the most common include:

These irritations are very itchy and go through similar stages, ending up with blisters.

It is possible to have chickenpox more than once in a lifetime. Adults can get it again, even after having the disease as children.

Herpes zoster — the reactivation of the chickenpox virus — also causes breakouts. They can appear in the form of spots and are usually painful.

Scabies is caused by mites that lay eggs on the skin, causing itchiness and redness.

The rash can appear anywhere on the body, but it usually starts between the toes. You may notice lines or cracks in the skin, or dots. Scabies is not serious, but it is very contagious and needs treatment.

• Bed bug bites or other insects

You can be bitten by bed bugs if the bed or mattress you sleep on is infested with bed bugs.

These insects are tiny and you may not notice them. Like other insect bites, the lesions are red, itchy, and often lined up or in clusters.

• Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as syphilis or genital herpes

Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is usually contracted by having sex with an infected person, while genital herpes is a virus that can be sexually transmitted.

Both can cause blisters. It is important to get tested and start treatment as soon as possible if you think you may have contracted any STDs.

With red rashes, which cause burning and itching, it is a skin reaction to something that the body considers a threat and starts to fight.

Sometimes the cause is never found, but common allergies include eating certain foods or coming into contact with certain plants, chemicals, or medicines.

It is a common, harmless viral infection that is often seen in children, but it can spread throughout the body, causing itching and firm, lumpy spots with a small hole in the middle.

Clusters of these spots often appear in the armpits, behind the knees, or in the groin. You can get infected by touching other people’s skin or touching contaminated objects, such as towels.

Viral infection transmitted by coughing and sneezing, in addition to contaminated objects such as cutlery. It can cause flu-like symptoms, in addition to mouth sores and red rashes on the palms and soles of the feet. It usually heals itself.

Contagious bacteria that normally infect already broken skin, causing red sores and blisters with oozing (fluid) and peeling, often on the face. It may look serious, but it can be eliminated with antibiotic cream.

What do you need to know about monkeypox?

What are the symptoms

• Headache
• fever and chills
• Muscle aches
• skin wounds
• lymph nodes
• exhaustion

How does the virus spread?

• Touching someone’s clothing, sheets, or towels
• Touching an infected person’s skin wound
• Coughing or sneezing from someone infected
• Direct contact with body fluids, such as during sex