Monkeypox and chickenpox are caused by different viruses, and the symptoms are different.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — At a glance, monkeypox and chicken pox seem to have the same name. Even so, the two are two different diseases that are not actually related.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States reveals that: monkey pox not related to chickenpox. Monkeypox is actually related to smallpox or smallpox because the virus that causes it comes from the same family, where monkeypox is caused by a virus monkeypox and smallpox is caused by a virus smallpox.
Therefore, monkeypox often causes symptoms similar to those of smallpox. However, unlike smallpox, monkeypox symptoms tend to be milder and rarely cause death.
A number of monkey pox symptoms are fever, headache, muscle and back pain, swollen lymph nodes, chills, fatigue, sore throat, stuffy nose, cough, and rash. Monkeypox rash can be located around the genitals and anus.
However, monkeypox rash can also be found on the hands, feet, chest, face, or mouth. The rash in monkeypox can be painful or itchy.
On the other hand, chicken pox is caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Chickenpox can cause an itchy, blister-like rash. This rash usually appears on the chest, back, and face before spreading to the rest of the body.
“Both (monkeypox and chickenpox) are viral infections that cause smallpox-like lesions,” said Thomas Russo MD, professor and head of the department of infectious diseases at the University at Buffalo. PreventionThursday (4/8/2022).
How to tell the difference?
According to Dr Russo, it is not easy for ordinary people to be able to distinguish between pickled monkeys and chicken pox. However, in general, there are some differences between monkeypox and chickenpox.
One of these differences is the demographic group. These two diseases tend to strike different demographic groups.
In the current outbreak, monkeypox is more commonly found in adult men who have sex with other men. While chickenpox is more common in children.
However, adults can also get chickenpox if they have not been vaccinated. In addition, cases of monkeypox were also found in children, although very few. So far, only two cases of monkeypox have been found in children.
