Mpox rash
Mpox rash
Mpox is a viral infection that causes fever, fatigue, muscle aches, and a painful rash. The mpox rash may involve part or all of the body. Once it appears, the rash goes through several stages.
Stage 1: Macules - flat, distinct, discolored areas of skin
Stage 2: Papules - raised spots on the skin that are less than one centimeter wide
Stage 3: Vesicles - small fluid-filled blisters on the skin
Stage 4: Pustules - small, inflamed, pus-filled, sores (lesions) on the skin surface
Stage 5: Scabs - hardened crusts of blood that form over sores, which help protect the skin as it heals
Mpox lasts 2 to 4 weeks. You are no longer contagious only after all symptoms are gone, scabs have healed, and new skin has formed.
Review Date:10/19/2022
Reviewed By:Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. Editorial update 11/29/2022.
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