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Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters Friday that monkeypox isn’t showing the usual symptoms and can be mistaken for an STD. File Photo by Greg Nash/UPI | License Photo
June 10 (UPI) — Monkeypox symptoms can often be mistaken for symptoms of some STDs, making the virus difficult to detect, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Friday.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said additionally, recent cases of monkeypox haven’t displayed the virus’ typical symptoms. The virus usually presents with flu-like symptoms, including fever, body aches and swollen glands, before the patient breaks out in a rash, often in the genital area.
Recent cases haven’t included the preceding flu-like symptoms, Walensky told reporters during a telebriefing.
“We have seen presentations of monkeypox that are mild and sometimes only limited areas of the body, which differs from the classic presentation seen in endemic countries in Western Central Africa,” she said.
“This has prompted concern that some cases may go unrecognized or undiagnosed.”
Symptoms may mimic those seen in patients with syphilis, herpes, gonorrhea or chlamydia, she added. She warned that people recently diagnosed with these STDs may in fact also have monkeypox.
“Healthcare providers should not rule out monkeypox just because a patient has another diagnosis or another” sexually transmitted infection, Walensky said.
The CDC said the United States has confirmed 45 cases of monkeypox, double what was reported as of last week. There have been more than 1,300 cases worldwide.
The virus doesn’t usually spread beyond West and Central Africa, prompting the World Health Organization to warn Thursday that monkeypox could spread to non-endemic countries.
“The risk of monkeypox becoming established in non-endemic countries is real,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a news conference. “WHO is particularly concerned about the risks of this virus for vulnerable groups including children and pregnant women.”
Discovered on: 2022-06-10 22:05:31
Source: Monkeypox symptoms can mimic STDs, be misdiagnosed, CDC says
