Mpox Information for Providers

Information is being updated as it becomes available.

Health Messages:

Please see the following Health Messages for more information on Mpox. These Health Messages have been issued by the Fresno County Department of Public Health (FCDPH).

How to Report a Mpox Case:

Follow disease reporting requirements.
Fill out the (PDF, 2MB)CMR form(PDF, 2MB) .
Call the FCDPH at (559) 600-3332 during normal hours or (559) 600-3111 after hours.
Forms will be completed by the Communicable Disease Investigations (CDI) team.
Providers are mandated to report Mpox to local Health Department.

Testing Guidance

Mpox rash goes through stages, so it can resemble a number of other conditions. Differential diagnoses of most concern include other vesicular diseases including herpes (HSV) and varicella (VZV). Both HSV and VZV can be diagnosed by swabbing lesions in a similar manner and with similar equipment as described below for Mpox. It is recommended to order HSV PCR and VZV PCR as the diagnostic tests for these conditions. In addition, other sexually transmitted diseases including syphilis and HIV should be considered and tested for, however, testing for Mpox should not be delayed while awaiting other test results. Testing for Mpox with a PCR test from a swabbed lesion is increasingly available through commercial labs; see links below for Quest and LabCorp reordering, preferred swabs, and transport containers/mediums.
- Mpox Testing (PCR) - Quest Diagnostics
- Mpox (Orthopoxvirus), DNA, PCR - Labcorp

Caring for Patient Guidance:

Isolate suspected Mpox patients.
- People with Mpox who do not require hospitalization should follow CDC’s Isolation and Prevention Practices for People with Mpox.
Use PPE when caring for patients.
The prognosis for Mpox depends on multiple factors, such as Mpox vaccination status, initial health status, concurrent illnesses, and comorbidities among others. Supportive care and treatment of symptoms should be initiated for all patients who have Mpox infection. This may include different topical, systemic medications, or other clinical interventions to control pain, itching, nausea and vomiting. Proctitis can occur and progress to become severe and debilitating, that may require prescription medication.

Treatment for Mpox:

Supportive care for Mpox should be used to ease symptoms and manage complications.
Patients should be offered fluids and food to maintain adequate nutrition.
A vaccine may be considered for those who are close contacts of someone diagnosed with Mpox. Click on link below for more information on treatment guidance:
Treatment Information:
For Additional Contact Information
- Study Coordinator:
  - Rayne Shepard at (559) 455-8562 and e-mail at: rayne.shepard@ucsf.edu
- Principal Investigator:
  - Dr. Geetha Sivasubramanian at (217) 390-4047 and e-mail at: geetha.sivasubramanian@ucsf.edu

Mpox Vaccine:

JYNNEOS is a vaccine indicated for both the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) of Mpox disease in adults 18 years of age and older who are at high risk for smallpox or Mpox infection. JYNNEOS is an attenuated, non-replicating orthopox virus live vaccine.

Mpox vaccine is now available commercially. For resources on purchasing JYNNEOS vaccine for your facility, please see https://eziz.org/resources/mpox/

For More Information, please see the following links:

California Department of Public Health (CDPH):

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):