Monkeypox Vs Chickenpox: According to WHO, more than 550 cases of monkeypox have been detected in 30 countries that are not endemic to the virus.
With the ongoing pandemic, reports of monkeypox are coming from various international shores, which gather the attention of the people and readers and become headlines in Indian newspapers. Another scare has started to increase in people that there may be another impending health crisis.
Signs of rashes can occur due to various causes including chickenpox, measles, Lyme disease, etc. It is not necessary that the cause is monkeypox disease. Here, we are providing the basic difference between monkeypox and chickenpox.
According to the CDC, the main difference between monkeypox and smallpox is swollen lymph nodes, or “lymphadenopathy”. Monkeypox causes lymph nodes to swell, whereas smallpox doesn’t.
Difference between Monkeypox and Chickenpox
| Category | Monkeypox | Chickenpox |
| Virus | Monkeypox is a disease caused by the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae. | Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). It is a highly-contagious disease. |
| Rash | The patient develops a rash within 1 or 3 days sometimes longer after the appearance of fever. Rash often begins on the face and then spreads to other parts of the body. | According to CDC, the rash first appears on the chest, back, and face. Then it spreads over the entire body, causing between 250 and 500 itchy blisters. |
| Fever | Approximately, 1-5 days before the rash. | Fever and other symptoms begin to appear one to two days before the rash. |
| Swollen lymph nodes | Yes | No |
| Incubation period (time from infection to symptoms) | Monkeypox is usually 7−14 days but can range from 5−21 days | Chickenpox illness usually lasts about 4 to 7 days. |
| Transmission | Transmission of the Monkeypox virus occurs when a person comes into contact with the virus from an animal, human, or materials contaminated with the virus. The virus enters the body via broken skin, respiratory tract, or mucous membranes. Animal to human and human to human transmission also occur. | The virus spreads easily from people with chickenpox to others who have never had the disease or have never been vaccinated. |
| Prevention | Various measures can be taken to prevent the infection with monkeypox virus including avoiding contact with animals that could harbour the virus, avoiding contact with any materials like bedding that has been in contact with a sick animal, etc. | The best way to prevent chickenpox is to get the chickenpox vaccine. |
| Treatment | Currently, there is no specific treatment approved for monkeypox virus infections. | The chickenpox vaccine is very safe and effective at preventing the disease. Some treatments can be taken at home, etc. |
Monkeypox at a glance
It is a rare disease that is caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. The virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae.
The Orthopoxvirus genus also includes the variola virus, vaccinia virus, and cowpox virus.
In 1958, monkeypox was first discovered. At that time, two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research and therefore named ‘monkeypox‘.
In 1970, the first human case of monkeypox was recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
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