Monkeypox: Everything You Need to Know
With the recent cases of monkey pox recorded in the country, a lot of people are left wondering what is monkeypox?
What exactly is monkeypox?
The monkeypox virus is a form of orthopoxvirus, which is related to the smallpox virus. Monkeypox has symptoms that are comparable to smallpox, although it is less severe and contagious.
The virus is divided into two genetic clades, or groups: the Congo Basin clade and the West African clade. The Congo Basin clade is thought to be more transmissible and causes a more severe form of the disease. Cases in the West African clade have lately been discovered.
What are the symptoms of monkeypox and how does it spread?
Monkeypox is a zoonosis, which implies that it is a disease that is spread between humans and animals. Cases are more common in tropical climes and jungles where the virus is carried by animals such as squirrels, dormice, and some monkeys and rats. The disease is spread through bites, scrapes, and the cooking of bush meat.
The virus is spread from person to person by direct contact with bodily fluids or skin lesions, as well as indirect contact with lesion materials through items such as contaminated bedding or clothing. It can also be spread through respiratory droplets, but it is difficult to spread by air and needs direct, sustained contact with someone who has a rash.
What are the signs and symptoms?
Fever, redness, and enlarged lymph nodes are common symptoms of monkeypox. Headache and backache, aching muscles, and a lack of energy are common in the early stages (1-3 days). A rash appears 1-5 days after the onset of symptoms, starting as raised patches and progressing to fluid-filled blisters, which eventually convert into scabs and fall off.
What is the outlook?
Without therapy, monkeypox symptoms normally go away in 2-4 weeks. The fatality rate has been between 3-6 percent in recent years, particularly among small children and immunocompromised people.
The cases that have been identified so far have been minor.
How is monkey pox diagnosed?
Monkeypox is diagnosed in a variety of ways.
A PCR test was used to confirm the infection in all of the people who tested positive. A case in Portugal was also confirmed using genomic sequencing.
Is there a treatment for monkey pox? If so, how is it done?
There is presently no treatment available for the monkeypox virus. The antiviral medications cidofovir, brincidofovir, and tecovirimat, on the other hand, may be used.
The World Health Organization is now gathering specialists to debate vaccine recommendations.
What are the responses of public health officials?
Health authorities, according to the WHO, are taking the following steps:
• Contact tracing, lab investigation, clinical management, and isolation with supportive care are all ongoing public health investigations in non-endemic countries where cases have been identified.
• The monkeypox virus clade(s) infecting individuals has been identified using genomic sequencing, where available. Scientists are trying to figure out if the recent outbreaks in Europe are linked to African strains.
• Monkeypox vaccination is being used to manage close contacts, such as health care workers, where it is available.
