 Dear Clinical Partner,
In the past few weeks, cases of monkeypox have been reported in the United States and around the world; this rare disease is caused by infection with monkeypox virus. Most cases are among people who self-identify as men who have sex with men and have a travel history, however with a very limited number of cases, it is important to stay vigilant across all populations. You can get updates on the situation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) here.
The CDC is urging clinicians to be vigilant to the characteristic rash and symptoms associated with monkeypox, regardless of whether they have travel or specific risk factors for monkeypox and regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Please reference this guidance document from the Michigan Health Alert Network and we encourage you to watch: What Clinicians Need to Know About Monkeypox in the United States and Other Countries.
It is important to take precautions for preventing monkeypox transmission. Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be used by all healthcare personnel who enter the patient’s room and should include a gown, gloves, eye protection, and a NIOSH-approved N95 filtering facepiece or equivalent (or higher-level respirator). A patient with suspected or confirmed monkeypox infection should be placed in a single-person room; special air handling is not required. More specifics about infection control around suspected or confirmed monkeypox is located here.
The rash associated with monkeypox can be confused with other diseases that are encountered in clinical practice (e.g., syphilis, herpes, chancroid, and varicella zoster). However, a high index of suspicion for monkeypox is warranted when evaluating people with a characteristic rash, particularly for men who report sexual contact with other men and who present with lesions in the genital/perianal area or for individuals reporting a significant travel history in the month before illness onset or contact with a suspected or confirmed case of monkeypox.
As partners in HIV and STI testing, treatment, and prevention we wanted to share this important information with you and ask you to consider monkeypox as part of your clinical differential. Please continue to collect specimens for STI testing. If you have any questions or concerns about a suspected case of monkeypox, please consult your local health department or the MDHHS Emerging & Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Section at 517-335-8165 (after hours: 517-335-9030) or the CDC Emergency Operations Center: 770-488-7100. Please share this educational FAQ to your patients.
Thank you,
Kris Tuinier
STI/HIV Field Services Section Manager
Division of HIV and STI Programs
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