RECENT DEVELOPMENTS-
Health officials in Europe, the United States, and Australia are investigating a new epidemic of monkeypox cases, a rare viral disease seen mostly in Africa. On May 20, 2022, Germany verified its first case of the virus, joining the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, and Sweden as the most recent European countries to report an outbreak. The number of infections in the United Kingdom has doubled since the first case was found on May 7. There have been 20 confirmed cases in the country so far, but fears are increasing that more will go unnoticed. It was found in a person who had recently travelled to Nigeria and was suspected of being infected. The patient is currently receiving treatment in a London isolation unit. Between May 13 and 24, more than 250 confirmed and suspected monkeypox cases were recorded in at least 16 European and North American nations, as well as Australia and Israel.
WHAT IS MONKEY POX?
Monkeypox belongs to the Orthopoxvirus subfamily of the Poxviridae virus family. The smallpox, vaccinia, and cowpox viruses are all included in this group. While there is no confirmed animal reservoir for monkeypox virus, African rats are thought to play a role in transmission. Only two times in nature has the monkeypox virus been isolated from an animal. Squirrels, Gambian poached rats, and several monkey species have been found to carry the virus. It's zoonosis, which is a disease spread by sick animals to people. According to the WHO, incidents occur near tropical rain forests populated by virus-carrying animals. The term "monkeypox" originates from the first known cases of the disease in animals, which occurred in 1958 in two outbreaks in monkeys maintained for research. However, the virus did not spread from monkeys to humans, since monkeys are not associated with disease carriers. Human cases of monkey pox have been reported in 11 African countries since 1970. Monkey pox cases outside of Africa are typically the result of international travel or imported animals. Virus transmission between humans is, however, limited.
The transmission can be due to –
· Contact with body fluids
· Lesions on skin
· Respiratory tract
· Through eyes, nose or mouth
· Virus contaminated objects- beds and clothes.
SYMPTOMS-
Like smallpox but less severe. According to CDC initially virus might cause Fever, Headache, Muscle ache, Back ache, Swollen lymph nodes, Chills, Exhaustion.
Incubation period- 7 to 14 days and can range 5- 21 days. Usually within a day to 3 days of onset of fever the patient develops a rash on face and spreads to other parts of body.
Rash changes and goes through different stages before finally forming a scab which later falls of. According to WHO proportion of patients who die has varied between 0-11% in documented cases and has been increased in children.
TREATMENT-
There is currently no safe and effective treatment for monkey pox. Depending on the symptoms, the WHO suggests supportive therapy. Not all monkeypox patients require hospitalization; many recover on their own after three weeks of isolation at home.
The US Food and Drug Administration authorized Bavarian Nordic's monkeypox vaccine, Jynneos in 2019, which can prevent or lessen the severity of the disease. The Jynneos vaccine is being offered in the United States and the United Kingdom to healthcare personnel who treat or may have been exposed to infected patients. The CDC recommends that you get the two-dose immunization within four days of being exposed.
ACAM2000, a smallpox vaccine that has been approved, could also be utilized.
The FDA approved Tecovirimat, an oral antiviral medication, for the treatment of smallpox in 2018, however there is no evidence that it is effective in humans for any of these illnesses. Two additional therapies, an antiviral cidofovir and a monoclonal antibody called vaccinia immune globulin, may be utilized to treat severe monkeypox sickness.
HOW IS MONKEY POX OUTBREAK NOT AS DANGEROUS AS COVID PANDEMIC-
Monkeypox is transferred through very close contact, most commonly skin-to-skin contact or prolonged physical contact with an infected person's clothing or bedding. COVID-19, on the other hand, spreads swiftly and easily. Coronavirus can be shared by merely chatting to another person, sharing a room, or, in rare situations, being in the same room as an infected individual. Even though the current development of monkeypox cases is concerning, the virus is significantly less contagious than COVID-19.
REFERENCES-
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