Start: anytime, online course.

Monkeypox is a rare virus transmitted to humans from infected animals, most commonly rodents. It can then spread among humans but there is no evidence to date that person-to-person transmission alone can sustain the disease in the human population. Symptoms are similar to those seen in past smallpox patients, but are less severe. Smallpox was eradicated as a disease in 1980; however, monkeypox still occurs sporadically in remote parts of Central and West Africa, near tropical rainforests. Typically, case fatality in monkeypox outbreaks has been 1-10% but with appropriate care most patients will recover.

This course provides a general introduction to monkeypox and is intended for health personnel responsible for prevention and control of monkeypox in humans.

Learning objectives

• understanding the emergence of monkeypox
• describing routes of transmission
• listing signs and symptoms
• identifying and differentiate clinically between chickenpox, monkeypox and smallpox
• discussing prevention, control and preparedness strategies