Frequently Asked Questions

Any person—of any age, gender, or sexual orientation—who has direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected person can get Mpox.

Mpox is primarily spread in the following ways:

• • Direct contact with the rash, scabs, or body fluids of an infectious person
  • Sexual and other close, intimate contact with an infectious person
  • Sharing unwashed bedding, towels, and clothing with an infectious person
  • Exposure to the respiratory secretions of an infectious person*
  • Across the placenta from a pregnant person with Mpox to their fetus

*Through prolonged face-to-face interaction; the type that mainly occurs when living with or caring for someone with Mpox

The most characteristic symptom of mpox is a multistage rash that may be:

• • located on or near the genitals, mouth, anus, and/or other parts of the body like the hands, feet, and chest
  • red, bumpy, pimply, or blistery in appearance
  • painful or itchy

Early signs of mpox can include flu-like symptoms, such as:

• • Fever
  • Chills
  • Headache, muscle ache, or backache
  • Respiratory symptoms (e.g., sore throat, nasal congestion, or cough)
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Fatigue

Note: Anyone with Mpox symptoms should isolate away from others until all symptoms are gone and new skin has formed under any rash or lesions. For more information, email us at SexualHealth@acgov.org.