Most people with mpox recover on their own with supportive care — pain control, fluids, rest, and good lesion hygiene — over a few weeks. The antiviral tecovirimat (TPOXX) is reserved for severe disease or people at high risk, such as those with advanced HIV. There's no cure to take at home; treatment manages symptoms and limits spread.
with the right treatment
testing, not symptoms, decides
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Curable? | yes — with the right treatment |
| Tested by | exam + lab |
| If you may have it | get tested — testing, not symptoms, decides |
What mpox is
Mpox is caused by the monkeypox virus, a relative of the virus that causes smallpox CDC. The clade II strain drove the global outbreak that began in 2022, moving primarily through close skin-to-skin contact, including intimate and sexual contact, and affecting mostly men who have sex with men. Because it can pass during sex, many people first encounter it as a sexual-health concern; see is mpox an std? how it spreads through sex for the full picture. Most people recover fully, but the illness can turn severe in people whose immune systems are weakened.
Symptoms — and the silent reality
The hallmark of mpox is a rash that can look like pimples or blisters, often painful or itchy, appearing on the hands, feet, face, mouth, genitals, or anus CDC. In the recent outbreak, lesions often show up first in the genital or anal area or in the mouth, so it's easily mistaken for herpes, syphilis, or even an ingrown hair. The lesions start flat, raise into firm bumps, fill with fluid, then crust over and fall off, and a person stays infectious until the scabs have healed and fresh skin has formed underneath.
The rash can come with fever, swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches, deep exhaustion, and respiratory symptoms. Classically these systemic symptoms — the prodrome — arrive first. But some people get straight to the rash with no warning, and others have only a single lesion that's easy to dismiss. A sore in the genital area that doesn't fit a familiar pattern deserves a look from a clinician rather than a guess.
How mpox spreads
Mpox spreads through close contact with someone who has it — most often the skin-to-skin contact of intimate and sexual encounters — as well as through contact with contaminated materials like bedding or towels, contact with infected animals, and from a pregnant person to the fetus. Condoms alone are probably not enough to stop transmission, because the rash can sit on parts of the body a condom doesn't cover and infectious respiratory secretions may be present during close, face-to-face contact.
Timing matters when you're worried about an exposure. The incubation period runs about 3 to 17 days, and people usually get sick within 21 days of contact CDC. The illness itself typically lasts two to four weeks. If you're tracking a possible exposure to mpox or other infections, our guide on when to test after exposure explains why timing changes what a test can detect.
How mpox is tested
Mpox is confirmed by detecting the virus's DNA by PCR from a swab of a suspected lesion. A clinician — or you, with guidance — runs a swab firmly across one or more sores to collect material, and the lab looks for viral DNA. There's no useful blood test for active mpox the way there is for some other infections. You need a visible sore to confirm a diagnosis.
As with most sexual-health testing, the experience is quick: a brief exam, a swab, and results usually back in a few days, often free or low-cost at health departments, Planned Parenthood, and Title X clinics. If a sore is suspicious, a clinic can test for mpox and screen for look-alikes at the same visit. For the step-by-step, see mpox testing, or you can get tested and compare testing providers if you'd rather start at home or shop on price and turnaround.
Mpox treatment
For most healthy people, mpox clears without an antiviral, and care is aimed at comfort and limiting spread: pain management, hydration, rest, and protecting the lesions while they heal CDC. Genital, anal, and oral sores can be very painful, so don't tough it out. Clinicians can recommend pain relievers, sitz baths for anal lesions, stool softeners if bowel movements are painful, and topical or oral medication for itching and discomfort.
Caring for the lesions at home
- Keep lesions clean and dry, and cover them when you're around other people to lower the chance of spreading the virus.
- Don't pick, pop, or shave over the rash — broken skin can spread virus to other body parts and invites bacterial infection.
- Wash your hands after touching sores, and isolate towels, bedding, and clothing rather than sharing them.
- Stay home and avoid skin-to-skin contact until every scab has fallen off and a fresh layer of skin has formed underneath.
When the antiviral tecovirimat (TPOXX) comes in
Tecovirimat, sold as TPOXX, is the antiviral most associated with mpox, but it isn't a routine prescription. The CDC reserves it for people with severe disease or those at high risk of it — for example, people with advanced HIV or significant immune suppression — and it's accessed through CDC channels rather than picked up like a typical pill CDC. Clinical trials found tecovirimat safe but did not show that it sped up lesion healing, so it won't shorten an otherwise uncomplicated case. Most people won't be offered it, and supportive care does the heavy lifting.
As with any prescribed course for a sexually transmitted infection, if you are given medication, finish all of it even after you feel better, and ask your clinician whether a partner needs evaluation so the two of you aren't passing infection back and forth. With mpox, partner notification also protects people who could become severely ill.
Complications if untreated
In otherwise healthy people, mpox usually resolves without lasting harm, though lesions can scar and secondary bacterial skin infections can develop if sores are picked or poorly cared for. The serious complications cluster in immunocompromised people, especially those with advanced HIV. In that group mpox can cause:
- Eye infection (involvement of the cornea and surrounding tissue that can threaten vision if not treated).
- Neurologic complications (inflammation involving the brain or surrounding tissue, which can cause confusion, seizures, or worse).
- Heart inflammation (myocarditis — swelling of the heart muscle that strains the heart's ability to pump).
- Life-threatening, widespread disease when the immune system can't contain the virus.
This is the strongest argument for getting an HIV test and treatment if your status is uncertain. Untreated HIV turns a manageable mpox infection into a dangerous one, and it's the scenario where tecovirimat is brought in.
Prevention
The most effective protection is the two-dose JYNNEOS vaccine, recommended for people at increased risk, with the second dose given 28 days after the first CDC. Vaccination is far more reliable than trying to dodge exposure once mpox is circulating in your community. Our mpox vaccine guide walks through eligibility and what the shots involve.
Beyond vaccination, the practical moves are simple: avoid skin-to-skin contact with anyone who has an unexplained rash, and remember that condoms lower but don't eliminate risk because the rash can be anywhere CDC. Routine sexual-health testing catches the infections that hide without symptoms. A diagnosis here is common and treatable; clinics handle it daily.
How mpox prevention compares to other STIs
| Measure | Mpox | Most bacterial STIs (e.g., chlamydia, gonorrhea) |
|---|---|---|
| Vaccine available? | Yes — two-dose JYNNEOS for those at risk | No |
| Condoms fully protective? | No — rash can be on uncovered skin | Reduce risk substantially when used every time |
| Detected without symptoms? | Needs a visible lesion to swab | Often, by routine urine or swab screening |
| Usual treatment | Supportive care; antiviral only for severe/high-risk cases | A defined course of antibiotics |
When to see a clinician
See a clinician promptly if you develop a new rash, sores, or unexplained skin lesions — especially in the genital, anal, or oral area — after close or sexual contact, or if you've had contact with someone who has mpox. Don't wait for the rash to declare itself. Early evaluation lets you get swabbed, start comfort care, and isolate before you expose others. Seek care urgently if you have severe pain, trouble swallowing, vision changes, chest pain, confusion, or you're immunocompromised or pregnant — these are the situations where mpox can become serious and where antiviral treatment may be needed.