The Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, in cooperation with the Infection Control Unit at the Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, organized a scientific symposium on the symptoms of monkeypox, how proper diagnosis, prevention, and precautionary measures to be followed, under the auspices of Dr. Faculty of Environmental Affairs and Community Development, and Dr. Mohamed El-Sawy, Executive Director of Menoufia University Hospitals.

Dr. Amal Makled, Professor and Head of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, indicated that early signs of the virus include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, swollen lymph nodes, chills, fatigue, and a rash that often begins on the face, then spreads to other parts of the body, usually the hands and feet. The rash changes The skin goes through various stages before eventually forming a crust that later falls off.

 She added that the infected person is contagious from the point where the rash appears until all the crusts fall off and there is healthy skin underneath. The crusts may also contain an infectious viral substance. The infection period is believed to last for 3 weeks, but it may vary between individuals.

Dr. Mohamed Abdel Wahed, head of the dermatology department, explained that it can be difficult to diagnose monkeypox; Because it is often confused with other types of infection such as chicken pox, and other skin diseases, it can be differentiated from similar diseases by taking samples from skin lesions, such as part of the crust, fluid from the lesions, or pieces of dry crusts indicating that the infection It may happen to a person.

 If infected animals bite it, or touch their blood, bodily fluids, or scales, and person-to-person spread can also occur if someone touches the clothing or bedding used by an infected person or through direct contact with the scales of the virus, the virus can also spread through coughing. And sneezing.

The symposium recommended the need to follow the precautionary measures in crowded places and during travel, and the need to go to the doctor when a rash of unknown cause appears, and permanent cleansing of hands, personal tools and furnishings. Dr. Sahar Ali Muhammad, Dr. Azza Labib, Dr. Heba Moaz, Dr. Asmaa Kamal, Dr. Marwa Al-Toukhi lectured at the symposium.