It has been reported that some patients have been misdiagnosed with Chickenpox, when in fact the correct diagnosis in their specific case was Monkeypox.
Monkeypox, can be commonly misdiagnosed as chickenpox is more similar to the virus that causes smallpox. It is a rare but serious viral illness, spread through close contact with an infected person or animal. It occurs primarily in the tropical rainforest areas of West and Central Africa, but other regions in around the world are now reporting and increase in cases, which is some cause of concern to authorities. It is spread through close contact with lesions on the skin, or through body fluids, or contaminated materials such as bedding. It is thought that it can spread through sexual contant, coming into contact with infectious skin lesions. The WHO suggest that small pox vaccination may be 85% succesful in preventing the spread of monkeypox.