MPOX (Monkeypox) Testing and Treatment in Hickory, NC

If you’re looking for MPOX (Monkeypox) testing near Hickory, NC, our team at AFC Urgent Care is ready to help you. We deliver fast results and provide treatment to help you get back to feeling your best. Visit our office 7 days a week with no appointment necessary.

What is Monkeypox?

Monkeypox is an infection caused by the monkeypox virus. The monkeypox virus comes from the same family of viruses as smallpox. Monkeypox used to appear only in African rodents and non-human primates (such as monkeys and apes), but there has been an increase of the disease in people. While many cases of human monkeypox used to occur mainly in Central and West Africa, the virus has spread to nearly every continent. This global spread is likely due to international traveling, contact with imported animals or exposure to infected persons.

Monkeypox Symptoms

If you become infected with monkeypox, you’ll experience flu-like symptoms anywhere from 5 days to 3 weeks after exposure to the virus.  Here are some common symptoms:

• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Exhaustion
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Rash

Once you experience symptoms, a rash will likely appear 1-4 days later. This skin rash initially appears on the face, hands or feet and can spread to other parts of the body. Some people experience the flu-like symptoms after the rash appears, although most have symptoms prior to the rash. Monkeypox symptoms can last between 2-4 weeks, including the rash that will scab over and fall off towards the conclusion of the illness.

According to the CDC, past data from Africa suggests that the smallpox vaccine is at least 85% effective in preventing monkeypox. Many people who lived through the last major smallpox outbreak from 1949-1980 received the vaccine and are less susceptible to the monkeypox virus, though it’s helpful to remain cautious. If you previously received the smallpox vaccine, and do become infected with monkeypox, you will likely experience less severe symptoms.

How does Monkeypox spread?

Monkeypox spreads through personal contact including:

• Direct contact with the rash, scabs or bodily fluids from a person with monkeypox
• Direct contact with items or surfaces that someone with monkeypox touched
• Kissing or sexual contact with someone infected with monkeypox
• Excessive close contact with an infected person, typically for more than four hours, especially where respiratory droplets can spread

Monkeypox is highly contagious, so it is crucial to avoid infected people or high transmission areas. Likewise, it is important to avoid close contact with others and the public if you are infected with the monkeypox virus. 

Get tested and treated for Monkeypox today.

If you know that you have been exposed to the virus or if you begin to experience monkeypox symptoms, contact your local AFC Urgent Care as soon as possible. At AFC Urgent Care, our providers test for monkeypox and provide treatment for the symptoms. While there is no precise treatment for the monkeypox virus, our team can prescribe antiviral medication and medication to relieve the severity of your symptoms. Because of the genetic similarities, the vaccine and treatments for smallpox may be used to fight the monkeypox virus. Whether you have symptoms or have just been exposed to monkeypox, our team is ready to provide the answers you need.  Schedule an appointment or call our office today!