Mpox or Monkeypox Home kit

The World Health Organisation has announced that Mpox is the new name for Monkeypox

What infection does this test detect?

The Better2Know Mpox Monkeypox Virus test will detect:

• The Mpox or Monkeypox Virus

What is Mpox or Monkeypox?

Mpox is an infection caused by the Monkeypox virus. This virus belongs to the same Variola virus family as the Smallpox virus. The symptoms of a Mpox infection are similar to those of Smallpox, but generally are milder and Mpox is rarely fatal.

Monkeypox was first identified in 1958 and the first human case was found in 1970. The disease is thought to originate in several central and western African countries but lately has spread across many countries and continents around the world. Its name was changed in November 2022 to Mpox.

When should I be concerned about an Mpox infection?

The Mpox virus is spread from person to person through close physical contact which can include touching the sores, blisters, scabs, or lesions of someone who is already infected with Mpox. Holding hands, snuggling with, or getting close to another person can also put you at risk. The virus can be transmitted through sexual contact with the penis, vagina, labia, and anus of an infected person.

Unlike some other infections, Mpox can also be transmitted by touching the clothing, towels, and bedding used by someone who is infected with the virus. Mpox can also be transmitted by breathing in Mpox viral particles from someone who coughs or sneezes close to you. There is evidence the disease can also be transmitted by the mother to her unborn children.

In African countries where Mpox is endemic, the disease can also be caught from touching or eating animals that are infected with the Mpox virus. Currently, Mpox infections are found primarily amongst gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men, people who have traveled to Central or West Africa, and people who have been in close contact with others who are infected with the Monkeypox virus.

Symptoms of Mpox or Monkeypox

Symptoms of a Mpox virus infection will generally appear between 5 and 21 days following exposure to the virus. Symptoms generally start with the infected person experiencing headache, muscle aches, backache, a high fever, and swollen glands. These symptoms are often followed by the appearance of a rash, blisters, and pustules frequently appearing first on the face before spreading anywhere on the body including the genitals and anus. A person infected with the Mpox virus can spread the infection to others from the time they first start to experience symptoms until the rash or pustules have completely and fully healed and fresh skin has formed over the site of any lesions.

Because the Mpox rash, blisters, or lesions can be confused with Herpes, Syphilis, and other infections, you should consider testing for these STIs at the same time you book your Mpox test.

Is this Mpox test accurate?

Yes, this Mpox virus test uses highly accurate PCR testing from a viral swab taken from one single vesicle or ulcer/lesion. The sample collection kit is UKCA certified to ensure any Mpox viral particles are preserved safely and analysed accurately at our UKAS laboratory.

How does the test work?

This is a swab test. You collect the swab sample yourself using the kit provided. After you have completed your purchase online, we will post the discreet Monkeypox test kit by first-class post to the address you provide. The postal pack is plain so no one will know what it is. When you open the pack you will find a set of instructions, a pathology request form, a special swab to use for collecting your sample, a small white topped tube into which you must put your swab after you have collected your sample, and a pre-paid return envelope. It is important that you follow the instructions on the leaflet carefully. As soon as your results are ready, you will get an email to let you know, but you can also log on and check online whenever you like.

When will my test kit arrive?

If you order your test before 4 pm Monday to Friday, we will post it out to you by first class post the same day. Test kits should arrive the next working day or the day after.

How long before I get my Mpox or Monkeypox test result?

Your test result will be ready two to three working days from when your sample arrives at our laboratory.

What happens if my Mpox or Monkeypox test is positive?

Due to the importance of containing the current Mpox outbreak, if your test result is positive, you will be contacted by a doctor who will take care of you until you are fully recovered and no longer at risk of passing the disease on to anyone else. It is also important that you tell everyone you have had any physical contact with since experiencing symptoms of your diagnosis so they can get tested too.

How long should I wait after an encounter before getting a Mpox or Monkeypox test?

The Better2Know Mpox test is accurate once the infected person develops visible symptoms of a rash, blisters, lesions, or pustules. These visible symptoms will generally appear within 5 to 21 days following infection. If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms and are concerned about a possible Mpox infection, you should contact Better2Know right away and arrange a doctor’s consultation.