Mpox: information sheet for clade I mpox category 3 contacts
Updated 31 October 2024
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You have been given this information sheet because you have been in close contact with someone who has an illness called mpox. Because of this, there is a risk that you could develop mpox.
It can take up to 21 days to develop symptoms after you had contact with the person who has mpox. This means that you should stay at home and away from other people (self-isolate) for 21 days after your last contact with the person who has mpox.
If you develop any of the symptoms of mpox listed in this information sheet, then you should phone your mpox point of contact to tell them. This will be either your local health protection team or your work occupational health team. It is important to report your symptoms straight away. This is to help to protect your health and the health of others around you.
Your mpox point of contact will also contact you daily to ask if you have developed any symptoms.
If you are concerned about your symptoms or they are getting worse, then you should contact NHS 111 and tell them that you have been in contact with someone with mpox. If you become seriously unwell and require urgent medical attention, telephone 999 and tell them that you have been in contact with someone with mpox.
What you need to do now
Mpox is a disease that is caused by a virus called MPXV. There are 2 main types (called clades) of MPXV, clade I and clade II. You have received this information because you have been in contact with someone with clade I mpox. Clade I mpox may cause severe symptoms in some people, so it is very important to prevent the spread of clade I mpox.
Take the following actions to help prevent the spread of mpox to others and so that if you develop the infection, it can be identified quickly. This will protect the health and safety of you, your family and anyone else that you may have contact with.
Follow these actions for 21 days from your last contact with the person who has mpox.
Stay at home and self-isolate
You should self-isolate at home.
This means you should stay at home and not go to work, school or public areas. You should only leave your home if it is essential, for example in an emergency, for an urgent medical appointment, or for urgent health and wellbeing issues. You should also not have visitors to your home.
Postpone any non-essential medical or dental treatment while you are self-isolating. If you need essential treatment, you should contact your mpox point of contact to discuss this.
Avoid close contact with others in your household, especially if they are aged under 5, pregnant, or have a weakened immune system. If possible, sleep in a separate room. You should not have skin to skin contact with other people, including sexual or intimate contact.
If you are unable to isolate away from a child or children in your household, or a child in your household has mpox or is a close contact of someone with mpox, you should take precautions to minimise direct skin to skin contact with them as far as you can, while ensuring that you are meeting their care and wellbeing needs. Children who are isolating should always be given the care and contact they need to ensure their wellbeing.
Do not share items which you use, such as bedding, towels, wash cloths, toothbrushes, or razors.
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding contact your clinician for further advice.
Read further information on how to isolate at home.
Check yourself for symptoms
It can take between 5 to 21 days from contact with someone who has mpox for symptoms to develop. The symptoms of mpox can be similar to other infections, such as chickenpox. Symptoms can include:
- fever (a high temperature)
- headache
- muscle aches
- backache
- swollen glands – these could be in your neck, groin or under your arms
- chills
- exhaustion
- joint pain
- rash
The rash is made up of lesions (spots, blisters or ulcers). It usually appears 1 to 5 days after the first symptoms and can be on any part of the body. This includes the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, mouth, genitals and anus. It starts as raised spots, which turn into small blisters filled with fluid or pus. These blisters can turn into ulcers and eventually form scabs which later fall off.
Check yourself daily for any symptoms of mpox, using a mirror to check for lesions in areas which may be hard to see. It is important to check regularly for any lesions, as some people may develop a milder illness with only a small number of skin lesions (in some cases genital lesions only), and no other symptoms.
Check if you have a fever (a high temperature) using a thermometer, if you have one. Signs that you have a high temperature include your chest or back feeling hotter than usual, or other symptoms such as shivering (chills), sweating, or warm, red skin (this may be harder to see on black or brown skin).
What to do if you develop symptoms
If you develop any of the symptoms listed above in the 21 days since you last had contact with the person who had mpox, you should report this as soon as possible to your mpox point of contact even if you have already told them that day that you do not have any symptoms. It is important that you report any symptoms, however mild, and in particular any signs of a rash (even if it is only one or two spots). Your mpox point of contact will ask you some questions about your symptoms and tell you what you need to do next.
Mpox vaccine
Depending on when you had contact with someone with mpox, you may be offered a vaccine to prevent you from becoming very sick from mpox. The vaccine is not 100% effective and so you may still develop symptoms (though these are likely to be milder). You should still report any symptoms that you develop, however mild, to your mpox point of contact as you could still pass mpox on to others.
How mpox spreads
Mpox does not spread easily between people unless there is close contact. Spread between people may occur through:
- direct contact with rash, skin lesions (spots, blisters or ulcers) or scabs (including during sexual contact, kissing, cuddling or other skin-to-skin contact)
- contact with bodily fluids such as saliva, snot or mucus
- contact with clothing or linens (such as bedding or towels) or other objects and surfaces used by someone with mpox
It is possible that clade I mpox may spread between people through close and prolonged face-to-face contact such as talking, breathing, coughing, or sneezing close to one another. However, there is currently limited evidence so this will be updated as new information is available.
When to get medical advice
After reporting your symptoms to your mpox point of contact, if they get worse or you are concerned about your symptoms, then you should contact NHS 111 and tell them that you have received this information sheet and have been in contact with someone with mpox.
If you become seriously unwell and require urgent medical attention, telephone 999 and tell them that you have received this information sheet and have been in contact with someone with mpox.