An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Local News | Aug. 8, 2022

What You Need to Know About Monkeypox

By Janet A. Aker, MHS Commuicatons

The infectious viral disease monkeypox is slowly spreading around the world, including the United States. On August 4, the United States formally declared it a public health emergency.

Monkeypox can spread by anyone to anyone. While international, national, state, and local health officials closely monitor the outbreak, Military Health System officials are carefully tracking the spread as well.

As of August 4, U.S. counts are approximately 7,000 probable or confirmed cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC maintains a public daily case count dashboard. The number may seem small, but it increases daily.

While there are few cases reported among military personnel and their families, the declaration of a national health emergency means that it constitutes a "public health risk to other states through the international spread of disease,” according to the World Health Organization.

Defense health officials emphasize that if you think you may have monkeypox, “the first thing to do…is ensure you are not further exposing other people, which means not having close, intimate contact with others until you are asymptomatic,” said Army Lt. Col. (Dr.) Scott Robinson, the Public Health Emergency officer for the Defense Health Agency.

What Does Monkeypox Look and Feel Like?

The disease most commonly starts with fever, then painful lymph nodes and a rash that typically develops one to three days after the fever begins, according to the CDC.

The rash is the most significant feature of monkeypox, spreading into small, fluid-filled blisters. They become round and hard, like pimples, and then scab.

You may also have headache, muscle aches, chills, and exhaustion that begin between seven to 14 days after exposure but can develop between five to 21 days post-exposure.

You are no longer infectious once your scabs have healed, dropped off, and healthy new skin has grown where the lesions were located. That usually takes two to four weeks, according to Robinson.

Children under 8 years old, people who are pregnant or immunocompromised, and individuals with a history of atopic dermatitis or eczema may be at increased risk for severe outcomes from monkeypox.

Transmission

The CDC states that monkeypox is far less contagious than COVID-19 or the flu because you get it from an infected person when you come in direct contact with the rash on their skin, their lesions, or bodily fluids, or if you touch bedding or clothing that has come in contact with those.

You can also get monkeypox through droplets that disperse during prolonged face-to-face contact, such as kissing or cuddling, and through direct, intimate physical contact such as sex, according to the CDC.

Animals, such as dogs or cats, in an infected person’s household can become infected and transmit it to others. In Africa, infected wild animals are a common way people become infected.

Pain as a Symptom

Sometimes, the only sign of monkeypox is severe pain, Robinson said.

That can be because there may be ulcers inside patients’ mouths, urethra, or rectum where the patient can’t see them but feels severe pain that may require hospitalization.

“For sexually active people, I’d be concerned if they developed pain, even if it’s somewhere I can’t see. I’d want to get that checked out by a health care professional,” Robinson said.

The infection can also cause lymph nodes in the groin area or on the soft tissue of your neck to swell, which should concern the patient and lead to a check-up, he explained.

What To Do for Suspected Monkeypox

If you think you’ve been exposed, notify your medical provider, and monitor yourself for symptoms for 21 days after your last close contact with an infected individual.

You may have to isolate yourself from other members of your household to limit the spread of the disease, including from pets. This means not having close contact, including touching or other physical contact, no prolonged face-to-face encounters, and not engaging in sex.

If you have a fever or a growing rash, see your medical health care professional in person.

Your medical provider will help you determine your risk of becoming ill with monkeypox and may offer preventive treatment if you are at high risk.

If you get a diagnosis of monkeypox, your medical provider must place you in isolation and treat you according to CDC guidelines for infection control.

Most patients with monkeypox have mild disease and don’t require medical intervention, CDC said. However, treatments are available and appear effective in reducing pain and duration of symptoms.

Treatment

The most common treatment for monkeypox includes supportive care, such as hydration and treatment of secondary bacterial infections.

There’s also an approved vaccine called Jynneos for monkeypox and antivirals that doctors may use in certain situations immediately after patient exposure, but these are not widely available in the United States. They are available from the government’s national stockpile of medicines.

“The treatments have been shown to be pretty good at preventing severe illness,” Robinson said.

“The earlier you get them, the better,” he noted, adding that “early treatment can prevent you from having symptoms or at least making sure that your symptoms are relatively mild.”

Seeking Care

[See also: How to Get Urgent Care Under Your TRICARE Health Plan]

If you experience monkeypox-like symptoms, Military Health System beneficiaries have resources available at military hospitals and clinics or within the TRICARE network of providers:

  • Notify your medical provider
  • Call the MHS Nurse Advice Line, open 24/7, at 1-800-TRICARE (874-2273)
  • Select Option 1, to talk to a registered nurse who can:
    • Answer your urgent care questions
    • Give you health care advice
    • Help you find a doctor
    • Schedule next-day appointments at military hospitals and clinics
  • Go to a TRICARE-authorized urgent care center, convenience clinic, or network provider:
    • Active-duty service members must first contact their primary care manager/provider or contact the Nurse Advice Line for a referral before visiting an urgent care center.
    • TRICARE Prime enrollees, other than active duty, only need a referral to see an out-of-network provider. Without a referral, they may incur higher point-of-service costs.

Resources

The CDC has published an extensive monkeypox resource library, to include fact sheets on transmission and treatment. Health.mil, the official Military Health System web site, maintains a monkeypox information page.

ArmyAir Force, and Navy and Marine Corps medical services also maintain fact sheets and reference materials.

MHS clinicians seeking vaccines for monkeypox post-exposure prophylaxis are encouraged to contact the DHA Immunization Healthcare Division’s 24/7 immunization clinical support center for assistance.

Airmen prep a cargo net on the floor of a warehouse before putting it onto a aircraft sized cargo pallet at Incirlik Air Base.

Defense Health Agency Medical Logistics Team Mai...

Local News
Sep. 12, 2024

MEDLOG is a premier shared service provider promoting uniformity, efficiency, and joint interoperability of...
Read More
Graphic of reminders that "Mental Health Matters" with a logo that reads "Ask the Doc" in the corner.

Ask the Doc: What Are Ways To Protect My Mental ...

Local News
Sep. 04, 2024

Our mental health expert, U.S. Public Health Service Capt. Meghan Corso, chief of behavioral health clinical...
Read More
New text service offers military healthcare updates, information

Defense Health Agency Launches New App for Provi...

Local News
Aug. 29, 2024

Defense Health Agency develops important new tool for assessing and managing mild traumatic brain injury, also...
Read More
Man wearing beanie and green t-shirt that says "G TEAM" stands in front of yellow moving truck.

How AFMES Members Balance Duty and Community

Local News
Aug. 29, 2024

At the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, the dedication to service transcends the lab coats and sterile...
Read More
Man in suit speaks at podium in front of sign that says "DEFENSE HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM 2024."

Military Health Information Technology Focus of ...

Local News
Aug. 27, 2024

The 2024 Defense Health Information Technology Symposium kicked off in Dallas, Texas, with Patrick (Pat)...
Read More
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that 60 percent of mothers in the U.S. stop breast feeding sooner than planned, and that only one out of four infants are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, the medically recommended duration. The Department of Defense and service military policies have been created and updated to ensure military mothers have the time, resources, and leadership support to breastfeed for six months after birth.

Military Honors Mothers, Infants by Supporting B...

Local News
Aug. 21, 2024

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that 60 percent of mothers in the U.S. stop breast...
Read More
Uniformed service member undergoes eye exam with technician in scrubs. An image of an eye chart that says "EYE HEALTH" is overlaid.

Low Vision: What it is and How You Can Function ...

Local News
Aug. 14, 2024

Service members are often exposed to a variety of hazards in combat, training, or daily activities, on and off...
Read More
Graphic demonstrating the process of Mental Health care and additional resources through targeted care. (U.S. Air Force graphic)

Targeted Care for Mental Health Issues Rolling O...

Local News
Aug. 09, 2024

Targeted care offers the right mental health resources for each individual as it begins rolling out across the...
Read More

Sept. 12, 2024

Defense Health Agency Medical Logistics Team Maintains Supply Chain Ensuring Quality Health Care Delivery

MEDLOG is a premier shared service provider promoting uniformity, efficiency, and joint interoperability of defense medical materiel programs and products required for Military Health System institutional and operational elements in support of the full range of military operations.

Sept. 4, 2024

Ask the Doc: What Are Ways To Protect My Mental Health?

Our mental health expert, U.S. Public Health Service Capt. Meghan Corso, chief of behavioral health clinical operations at the Defense Health Agency, answers a Dear Doc question on ways to protect your mental health.

Aug. 29, 2024

Defense Health Agency Launches New App for Providers to Assess and Treat Traumatic Brain Injury ‘Anytime, Anywhere’

Defense Health Agency develops important new tool for assessing and managing mild traumatic brain injury, also known as concussion, with the Warfighter Brain Health Provider Toolkit application.

Aug. 29, 2024

How AFMES Members Balance Duty and Community

At the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, the dedication to service transcends the lab coats and sterile environments of their daily responsibilities. These men and women are committed to something greater than themselves—both within the walls of their workplace and outside in the communities they serve.

Aug. 27, 2024

Military Health Information Technology Focus of DHITS 2024

The 2024 Defense Health Information Technology Symposium kicked off in Dallas, Texas, with Patrick (Pat) Flanders, chief information officer for the Defense Health Agency, touching on the Department of Defense’s efforts to modernize health care, providing enterprise intelligence and data solutions, and looking to the future.

Aug. 21, 2024

Military Honors Mothers, Infants by Supporting Breastfeeding

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that 60 percent of mothers in the U.S. stop breast feeding sooner than planned, and that only one out of four infants are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, the medically recommended duration. The DOD and service military policies have been created and updated to ensure military mothers have the time, resources, and leadership support to breastfeed for six months after birth.

Aug. 14, 2024

Low Vision: What it is and How You Can Function with the Right Treatment Plan

Service members are often exposed to a variety of hazards in combat, training, or daily activities, on and off duty, including situations that may affect their vision.

Aug. 9, 2024

Targeted Care for Mental Health Issues Rolling Out Across Department of Defense

Targeted care offers the right mental health resources for each individual as it begins rolling out across the Department of Defense.

Aug. 6, 2024

Burn Pit Registry Redesign Auto Enrolls Participants and Simplifies Requirements

The Department of Veterans Affairs is advancing efforts to address issues associated with military-related toxic exposure by launching a redesigned Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry.

July 29, 2024

DHA Veterinary Services Explains Updated CDC Dog Importation Guidelines

Service members and their families returning to the United States from overseas duty assignments will be subject to updated dog importation requirements effective Aug. 1, 2024.