For Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) information, guidance, and updates click here
For Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) informaton, guidance, and updates click here
About monkeypox
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox 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.
- The 2022 outbreak has identified cases of monkeypox in several countries that don’t normally report monkeypox, including the United States.
- Smallpox vaccines work on monkeypox. If someone has confirmed, high-risk exposure, the smallpox vaccine can be given within four days to help prevent disease.
- Most people recover from monkeypox without treatment or hospitalization. There are effective treatments for people with severe monkeypox.
- Most people with monkeypox report having prolonged, close, often skin-to-skin contact with someone confirmed to have monkeypox. It can also spread by:
- Touching objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels), and surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox.
- Contact with respiratory secretions.
- This close, personal contact can happen during intimate contact, including:
- Oral, anal, and vaginal sex or touching the genitals (penis, testicles, labia, and vagina) or anus (butthole) of a person with monkeypox.
- Hugging, massage, and kissing.
- Touching fabrics and objects during sex that were used by a person with monkeypox and that have not been disinfected, such as fetish gear and sex toys.
- While anyone can get monkeypox, the current outbreak is spreading through specific social networks, including men who have sex with men. If you are a man who has sex with other men, you are more likely to be exposed to monkeypox at this time.
- Avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like monkeypox.
- Do not touch the rash or scabs of a person with monkeypox.
- Do not kiss, hug, cuddle or have sex with someone with monkeypox.
- Avoid contact with objects and materials that a person with monkeypox has used.
- Do not share eating utensils or cups with a person with monkeypox.
- Do not handle or touch the bedding, towels, or clothing of a person with monkeypox.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially before eating or touching your face and after you use the bathroom.
- If you are attending large social gatherings, such as raves, concerts, or clubs, consider minimizing skin-to-skin contact.
- Consider certain strategies to reduce risk during sex.
Monkeypox is typically characterized by a new, unexplained rash that develops into characteristic hard, round, fluid- or pus-filled skin lesions. Other early symptoms include:
- Fever
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Muscle aches
- Headache
 |
 |
Testing
If you have symptoms of monkeypox, your healthcare provider will be able to test you for monkeypox. This is done by swabbing two different lesions, or sites of rash on the body, to collect DNA. The swabs are then sent to labs for testing in sterile containers.
Treatment
There are no treatments specifically for monkeypox virus infections. However, because of genetic similarities in the viruses, vaccines and antiviral drugs developed to protect against and treat smallpox may be used to treat monkeypox infections.
Vaccination
Wisconsin currently has a limited supply of JYNNEOS vaccine. At this time, Brown County Public Health is focusing on providing available doses of vaccine to those who have known exposures and people with certain risk factors.
JYNNEOS vaccine is currently available for the following people:
- Known contacts who are identified by public health via case investigation, contact tracing, and risk exposure assessments.
- Presumed contacts who may meet the following criteria:
- People who know that a sexual partner in the past 14 days was diagnosed with monkeypox.
- Gay men, bisexual men, trans men and women, any men who have sex with men, and gender non-conforming/non-binary people, who have had multiple sexual partners in the last 14 days
- People or sexual partners of people considered to have an elevated risk of exposure to monkeypox in the future:
- Gay men, bisexual men, trans men and women, any men who have sex with men, and gender non-conforming/non-binary people who:
- Expect to have multiple or anonymous sex partners. This may include people living with HIV and people who take HIV pre-exposure because of increased risk of sexually transmitted infections.
- Have new diagnosis of one or more STIs.
- People who attended an event or venue where there was known monkeypox exposure.
- Gay men, bisexual men, trans men and women, any men who have sex with men, and gender non-conforming/non-binary people who:
- Clinical laboratory personnel who perform testing to diagnose orthopoxviruses, including those who use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for diagnosis of orthopoxviruses, including Monkeypox virus.
- Research laboratory workers who directly handle cultures or animals contaminated or infected with orthopoxviruses that infect humans, including Monkeypox virus, replication-competent Vaccinia virus, or recombinant Vaccinia viruses derived from replication-competent Vaccinia virus strains.
- Certain health care providers working in sexual health clinics or other specialty settings directly caring for patients with sexually transmitted infections. People 18 years and older can receive JYNNEOS as either an injection between the skin (intradermally) or beneath the skin (subcutaneously).
If you plan to contact Brown County Public Health directly:
- Call us at (920) 448-6400
- Our staff will speak with you about eligibility guidance and risk factors
- We may ask you to speak with your healthcare provider’s office for a referral to receive vaccine*
- Our staff will then assist you with scheduling an available appointment during our business hours (M-F 8:00AM-4:30PM) that is most convenient for you. We will need to ask you for your birthday, phone number, and other personal information to complete this process. Appointments generally take ~15 minutes.
If you contact your healthcare provider, they can:
- Place a referral for you to get vaccinated at Brown County Public Health
- Place a referral for you to get vaccinated at another local vaccine provider
- Provide testing and treatment if you have symptoms of monkeypox
This page updated as of: 10.2022
