Experts have warned Britons to be on the lookout for a little-known sign of the deadly mpox strain that “commonly goes unnoticed”.
While the virus is commonly known for its boil-like lesions, there is a lesser-known symptom that occurs in the early stages and is often confused with other, less serious illnesses.
Swollen lymph nodes or nodes are usually a sign of a much more common infection, such as a cold or tonsillitis.
However, London-based pharmacist Abbas Kanani said this may be the first sign of mpox clade 1b, which experts have called “the most dangerous yet.”
The mutation kills one in ten infected people and is believed to be behind a wave of miscarriages.
Swollen glands in the neck, groin and armpits are caused by the virus due to its role in fighting infection.
When a virus attacks, our fighting cells (white blood cells) rush to the lymph nodes to defend the body, causing the glands to swell.
Kanani said: “Swollen lymph nodes or nodes can be commonly confused with other causes and are not always obvious, particularly if there is mild swelling or if it is deep in the body.”
Mpox causes characteristic lumpy lesions, as well as fever, pain, and fatigue. However, in a small number of cases, it can enter the blood and lungs, as well as other parts of the body, when it is life-threatening.
It comes as a fifth case of the life-threatening mpox strain has been detected in the UK.
This brings the total number of confirmed cases in Britain to five. The unidentified patient, from Leeds, had no links to the four previous cases.
The strain is currently spreading across central Africa and has killed at least 1,000 people since the outbreak began.
Countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been especially affected and cases have also been detected in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya.
Abbas Kanani, pharmaceutical superintendent at Chemist Click, explained that other common initial symptoms of the infection include high temperature, muscle aches and joint pain.
Between one and five days after the first symptoms, the telltale rash on the face usually appears, he explained. the sun.
The rash, which appears as raised spots and small fluid-filled blisters, can be confused with chickenpox, Kanani warns.
It can spread to other parts of the body, including the mouth, genitals, and anus, and in some cases causes anal bleeding and pain.
Experts say Central Africa’s clade 1b death rates are unlikely to be replicated in developed countries like the UK due to better access to higher quality healthcare.
Britain’s five cases mean it joins countries such as the United States, Sweden, Thailand, India and Germany in having cases outside Africa.
The current mpox vaccines, which are designed to act against smallpox, a close relative of the mpox virus, were used during the 2022 outbreak against the milder strain.
But they have yet to be extensively tested against the most potent clade 1b strain.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the NHS recommend getting vaccinated within four days of contact with someone who has the virus or within 14 days if there are no symptoms.
It is recommended that healthcare workers and men who have sex with men receive the vaccine even if they have not been exposed to mpox.
There are no direct treatments available with doctors who focus rather on helping the patient help their body fight the virus.