What is monkeypox? How to prevent monkeypox virus?
Posted by LeeRobert on
Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease. Monkeypox virus can be transmitted from animals to humans through close contact. Although human-to-human transmission is not easy, it may be infected by close contact with infected persons.
Following the announcement of the first confirmed case of monkeypox in the United Kingdom on May 7, confirmed or suspected cases have also been found in many countries, and there may be multiple chains of transmission.
Monkeypox cases reported in many countries
1. On May 19, local time, the head of the Montreal Public Health Agency in Quebec, Canada, said that 17 suspected cases of monkeypox were found in the area last week, and the health department has been asked to be vigilant about monkeypox.
2. On May 18, local time, Spanish Minister of Health Darias reported that after the Spanish National Microbiology Center tested samples collected from suspected monkeypox infection cases, seven positive cases had been identified.
3. On May 18, local time, the Portuguese health department confirmed 5 cases of monkeypox and is still investigating 15 suspected cases, all of which are male and have damaged skin.
4. On May 18, local time, the British health department announced two new confirmed cases of monkeypox. Unlike the first patient diagnosed recently, these two patients have not been to Africa. The first confirmed case of monkeypox, discovered on May 7, had flown back to the UK from Nigeria. This means that there may be multiple chains of monkeypox transmission in the UK.
5. On May 18, local time, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the first case of monkeypox in the United States this year, and is investigating whether the case is related to the European outbreak.
6. On May 18, local time, Ahmed Ogwell, acting director of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that during the new crown epidemic, several monkeypox outbreaks broke out in Africa. Congo (Kinshasa), Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic have all experienced outbreaks.
On May 18, Swiss time, the WHO issued a bulletin linking monkeypox cases in the United Kingdom, saying that the source of infection of these cases has not yet been confirmed. Based on known information, the infection seems to have occurred in the United Kingdom. The extent of local transmission, it is possible to find more cases. The agency recommended that the UK continue to strengthen public health measures.
Although monkeypox virus has been discovered for a long time, due to the limited number of patients, our understanding of it is not as full as we thought.
What is monkeypox
Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease. Monkeypox virus can be transmitted from animals to humans through close contact. Although human-to-human transmission is not easy, it is possible to be infected by close contact with an infected person.
The monkeypox virus was first discovered in monkeys in 1958, hence the name monkeypox, but now rodents are also seen as a possible primary animal host.
In 1970, the Congo (DRC) discovered the first human case of monkeypox infection. Since then, there have been multiple outbreaks of monkeypox in the West African country.
How monkeypox virus spreads
The primary mode of transmission of monkeypox virus is through direct contact with the blood, body fluids, skin or mucous membrane wounds of infected animals.
The secondary transmission between humans is mainly due to close contact with the respiratory secretions, skin lesions of the infected person, or items contaminated by the patient's body fluids or diseased tissues (such as clothing, bed sheets, etc.)
Monkeypox virus can exist in respiratory droplets, but usually requires prolonged face-to-face contact to spread.
What are the symptoms of monkeypox infection?
The incubation period of monkeypox can reach 5-21 days.
In the early stages of the disease, the patient's symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, and swollen lymph nodes.
Usually within 1-3 days after the fever, the patient will have a rash of varying degrees, which spreads from the face to other parts of the body. The rash evolves from an initially flat maculopapular rash to small fluid-filled blisters to pustules, which scab over about 10 days and disappear completely after about three weeks. When the rash appears, the patient is contagious.
According to WHO, monkeypox viruses have the West African clade and the Congo Basin (Central Africa) clade. The recorded case fatality rate for the West African branch of the virus is about 1%, and the case fatality rate for its Congo Basin branch may be as high as 10%.
Symptoms on the skin surface of monkeypox patients (UK Health Safety Authority)
How to prevent monkeypox virus?
Common household disinfectants can kill the monkeypox virus.
Avoid contact with animals that may carry the virus. In addition, after contact with infected people or animals, you should wash your hands with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizers. It is also recommended to wear protective equipment when caring for patients.
Because monkeypox virus and smallpox virus belong to the same virus family, the vaccine against smallpox virus also has protective effect on monkeypox virus, and the effect of vaccination against "monkeypox" is about 85%.
How to deal with monkeypox infection?
Most infected people recover within a few weeks, but there are cases where infected people become seriously ill.
Severe patients may also die, depending on the level of exposure to the virus, the patient's health, and the severity of complications.
The current treatment for monkeypox has not been proven safe, but smallpox vaccine, antiviral drugs, and vaccinia immune globulin can be used to control monkeypox outbreaks.
WHO recommends
Since the source of the infection has not yet been identified, the World Health Organization and health agencies in other countries have recommended strengthening the monitoring of local rash cases, as well as the tracking and tracing of possible cases.
Because some symptoms of monkeypox are similar to other diseases that cause rashes (such as herpes zoster, a rash caused by a sexually transmitted virus), some monkeypox patients may be misdiagnosed with other diseases.
Medical staff should consider the diagnosis of monkeypox virus infection when identifying patients with symptoms similar to monkeypox.
Early detection of cases, isolation and tracking of suspicious cases, and raising people's awareness of the disease are the keys to preventing secondary infections and effectively controlling the epidemic.
Following the announcement of the first confirmed case of monkeypox in the United Kingdom on May 7, confirmed or suspected cases have also been found in many countries, and there may be multiple chains of transmission.
Monkeypox cases reported in many countries
1. On May 19, local time, the head of the Montreal Public Health Agency in Quebec, Canada, said that 17 suspected cases of monkeypox were found in the area last week, and the health department has been asked to be vigilant about monkeypox.
2. On May 18, local time, Spanish Minister of Health Darias reported that after the Spanish National Microbiology Center tested samples collected from suspected monkeypox infection cases, seven positive cases had been identified.
3. On May 18, local time, the Portuguese health department confirmed 5 cases of monkeypox and is still investigating 15 suspected cases, all of which are male and have damaged skin.
4. On May 18, local time, the British health department announced two new confirmed cases of monkeypox. Unlike the first patient diagnosed recently, these two patients have not been to Africa. The first confirmed case of monkeypox, discovered on May 7, had flown back to the UK from Nigeria. This means that there may be multiple chains of monkeypox transmission in the UK.
5. On May 18, local time, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the first case of monkeypox in the United States this year, and is investigating whether the case is related to the European outbreak.
6. On May 18, local time, Ahmed Ogwell, acting director of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that during the new crown epidemic, several monkeypox outbreaks broke out in Africa. Congo (Kinshasa), Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic have all experienced outbreaks.
On May 18, Swiss time, the WHO issued a bulletin linking monkeypox cases in the United Kingdom, saying that the source of infection of these cases has not yet been confirmed. Based on known information, the infection seems to have occurred in the United Kingdom. The extent of local transmission, it is possible to find more cases. The agency recommended that the UK continue to strengthen public health measures.
Although monkeypox virus has been discovered for a long time, due to the limited number of patients, our understanding of it is not as full as we thought.
What is monkeypox
Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease. Monkeypox virus can be transmitted from animals to humans through close contact. Although human-to-human transmission is not easy, it is possible to be infected by close contact with an infected person.
The monkeypox virus was first discovered in monkeys in 1958, hence the name monkeypox, but now rodents are also seen as a possible primary animal host.
In 1970, the Congo (DRC) discovered the first human case of monkeypox infection. Since then, there have been multiple outbreaks of monkeypox in the West African country.
How monkeypox virus spreads
The primary mode of transmission of monkeypox virus is through direct contact with the blood, body fluids, skin or mucous membrane wounds of infected animals.
The secondary transmission between humans is mainly due to close contact with the respiratory secretions, skin lesions of the infected person, or items contaminated by the patient's body fluids or diseased tissues (such as clothing, bed sheets, etc.)
Monkeypox virus can exist in respiratory droplets, but usually requires prolonged face-to-face contact to spread.
What are the symptoms of monkeypox infection?
The incubation period of monkeypox can reach 5-21 days.
In the early stages of the disease, the patient's symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, and swollen lymph nodes.
Usually within 1-3 days after the fever, the patient will have a rash of varying degrees, which spreads from the face to other parts of the body. The rash evolves from an initially flat maculopapular rash to small fluid-filled blisters to pustules, which scab over about 10 days and disappear completely after about three weeks. When the rash appears, the patient is contagious.
According to WHO, monkeypox viruses have the West African clade and the Congo Basin (Central Africa) clade. The recorded case fatality rate for the West African branch of the virus is about 1%, and the case fatality rate for its Congo Basin branch may be as high as 10%.
Symptoms on the skin surface of monkeypox patients (UK Health Safety Authority)
How to prevent monkeypox virus?
Common household disinfectants can kill the monkeypox virus.
Avoid contact with animals that may carry the virus. In addition, after contact with infected people or animals, you should wash your hands with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizers. It is also recommended to wear protective equipment when caring for patients.
Because monkeypox virus and smallpox virus belong to the same virus family, the vaccine against smallpox virus also has protective effect on monkeypox virus, and the effect of vaccination against "monkeypox" is about 85%.
How to deal with monkeypox infection?
Most infected people recover within a few weeks, but there are cases where infected people become seriously ill.
Severe patients may also die, depending on the level of exposure to the virus, the patient's health, and the severity of complications.
The current treatment for monkeypox has not been proven safe, but smallpox vaccine, antiviral drugs, and vaccinia immune globulin can be used to control monkeypox outbreaks.
WHO recommends
Since the source of the infection has not yet been identified, the World Health Organization and health agencies in other countries have recommended strengthening the monitoring of local rash cases, as well as the tracking and tracing of possible cases.
Because some symptoms of monkeypox are similar to other diseases that cause rashes (such as herpes zoster, a rash caused by a sexually transmitted virus), some monkeypox patients may be misdiagnosed with other diseases.
Medical staff should consider the diagnosis of monkeypox virus infection when identifying patients with symptoms similar to monkeypox.
Early detection of cases, isolation and tracking of suspicious cases, and raising people's awareness of the disease are the keys to preventing secondary infections and effectively controlling the epidemic.