Cases of the rare monkeypox virus are appearing in Europe and the United States, suggesting that the virus linked to smallpox is spreading locally rather than appearing due to travel to countries where the virus is endemic, mainly in Africa central and western.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating possible cases in the United States, including a confirmed case in a Massachusetts man. “The CDC urges health care providers in the United States to be alert to patients who have rashes consistent with monkeypox, whether or not they have travel or monkeypox-specific risk factors and regardless of their gender or sexual orientation,” CDC officials said in a statement.
After around 100 cases have been confirmed across Europe, the World Health Organization also announced on Friday May 20 that it would hold an emergency meeting to discuss the outbreaks, Reuters reported. Although fears of another pandemic are likely high, experts do not expect monkeypox to reach such levels of transmission, as the virus does not spread as easily as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, according to Reuters.
Here’s what we know so far about monkeypox and current outbreaks.
What is monkey pox?
Monkeypox is a disease caused by the monkeypox virus (genus Orthopoxvirus). According to Centers for Disaster Control and Prevention (CDC).
Monkeypox was first identified in 1958 in colonies of monkeys and then again in 1970 in a human in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Over the next few years, outbreaks of monkeypox sprung up in parts of central and western Africa, according to the CDC.
Is monkeypox fatal?
Monkeypox usually runs its course, resolving on its own, over a period of two to four weeks, according to the World Health Organization. However, severe cases can occur, and today around 3% to 6% of people infected with the disease die from it, the WHO noted. The risk of death is higher in young children. People under the age of around 40 to 50 may also be more vulnerable to monkeypox, as smallpox vaccinations – which help protect a person against monkeypox – stopped after the disease was eradicated. , at different times in different countries.
Current cases of monkeypox appear to be genetically linked to the variant which mainly spreads in West Africa and is less lethal – with a case fatality rate of around 1% in these remote areas, Nature News reported.
What are the symptoms of monkeypox?
Like many viruses, monkeypox begins with fever, chills, fatigue, muscle aches and headaches, but it also causes swollen lymph nodes, according to the CDC. One to three days after the onset of fever, people may develop a rash that starts on the face and spreads through the body. The rash evolves in several stages before disappearing. First, macules or light brown spots appear all over the body. Then so-called papules, which are raised bumps, appear. After that, the rash turns into blisters and pustules, which look like pus-filled pimples. Finally, these scabs and fall off. The disease typically takes two to four weeks to resolve, the CDC notes.
How is monkeypox spread?
Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease, which means it usually spreads from an animal reservoir to humans. (The main animal hosts are not known, but could include a number of rodent or primate species, depending on the WHO.) The virus can also spread between people through close and sustained contact. According to the WHO, this close contact can occur via broken skin, respiratory droplets, bodily fluids or contaminated materials such as bedding. Monkeypox is much less contagious than SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. However, scientists are currently studying the genomes of some of these new cases of monkeypox, to see if there are any mutations that could increase transmission, Nature News reported.
Can monkeypox be treated?
Although no treatment has been tested and shown to be safe and effective, doctors can use a number of options to treat the infection, including antiviral drugs and vaccine immunoglobulin (antibodies taken from blood from people immunized with the smallpox vaccine), according to the CDC. The smallpox and monkeypox vaccine can be used to prevent transmission of the disease to others, using what is called a “ring vaccination” strategy. In this system, close contacts of an initial case are vaccinated with the smallpox vaccine to prevent further transmission, Live Science previously reported. This strategy is what ultimately led to the eradication of smallpox in 1980.
Where was monkeypox detected?
So far more than 100 cases have been reported worldwidewith the majority of cases occurring in Spain, Portugal and the UK. There are also several cases linked to an outbreak near Montreal, Canada, one case in New York and another in Massachusetts, The New York Times reported. Cases have also been reported in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Australia. Many cases involve men between the ages of 30 and 55 who have had sex with men, according to the Washington Post.
If you think you have monkeypox, what should you do?
If you think you might be infected with monkeypox, contact your health care provider for treatment and contact tracing, especially if you fall into any of the following categories, According to the CDC:
—You have traveled to Central or West Africa, areas of Europe reporting monkeypox, or other areas with confirmed cases in the month prior to symptom onset.
—You have been in contact with someone with confirmed or suspected monkeypox.
“You are a man who regularly has intimate contact with other men.
“If people are sick, they’re often sick for two to four weeks. There’s an urgent need to identify people early, get them treated, and identify contacts,” said CDC poxvirus epidemiologist Andrea McCollum. Atlantic.
Originally posted on Live Science.