Early diagnosis of monkeypox is not possible without a blood test or a swab, but looking at the symptoms can help one determine if they caught the virus.

As a viral zoonotic infection, the disease can spread from animals to humans and from person to person. Human transmission is possible through close contact with someone with the monkeypox rash. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also indicated that contaminated surfaces and objects could lead to an infection.

Though most cases of the monkeypox infection are self-limiting and go away within a few weeks, some people are at a higher risk of developing severe illness. Newborns, kids and people with immunocompromised systems could even die from the virus.

Since the start of the outbreak, experts have been encouraging everyone to stay vigilant and take precautions whenever possible to prevent the further spread of the virus. Getting tested is the best way to determine if one has been infected. But when testing is not immediately available, people can always rely on the visual signifiers of the disease for early detection.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has listed the different signs and symptoms of the virus. According to the public health agency, monkeypox is comparable to a milder form of smallpox. The main difference between the two is the presence of lymphadenopathy (swelling of lymph nodes) in monkeypox and not in smallpox.

Lymphadenopathy is said to be one of the early signs and symptoms of monkeypox infection. Aside from it, people who just contracted the virus may also experience the following: fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, chills, and exhaustion. Respiratory symptoms such as sore throat, nasal congestion and cough could also be present.

The rash people see on the news about the monkeypox outbreak typically starts to show up only a few days after the initial infection. The bumps and blisters often begin forming on the face and genitals before spreading to the rest of the body, as per the CDC.

If you have any of the aforementioned early symptoms of monkeypox, the CDC recommends seeing a doctor right away. The agency also promotes vaccination as the best means to prevent monkeypox infection and stop the further spread of the virus.

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