Monkeypox, or mpox, generally starts with flu-like symptoms that appear 6 to 13 days after exposure, but can appear between 5 and 21 days. Initial symptoms often include:
- Fever: One of the earliest and most common symptoms of monkeypox is a sudden onset of fever, which may be high.
- Headache: Severe headaches are common during the early stages of infection.
- Muscle aches: Muscle pain and body aches (myalgia) can occur, similar to what you might experience with the flu.
- Chills: Patients may experience chills along with fever.
- Exhaustion: A feeling of extreme fatigue or weakness is often reported.
- Swollen lymph nodes: Unlike smallpox, monkeypox typically causes swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy), which can be painful and occur in the neck, armpits, or groin.
