Medical Must-See: Sunburn or monkeypox? GP’s misdiagnosis ends in rotting nose
The initial mix-up threw a monkey wrench in the case
A GP in Germany confused an unassuming red spot on the tip of their patient’s nose for sunburn — perhaps putting it down to the recent heat wave that swept across Europe.
But it turned out the man had caught more than too much sun.
Within three days, the 40-year-old’s red spot had consumed his nasal area, progressing to severe necrosis.
Confirmed by PCR as monkeypox (MPXV), more typical lesions were present on the rest of the body, with serious infection of the penis and oral mucosa.
