What is monkeypox?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease, which means that it has jumped from an animal to humans. It occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa, with recent cases having shown up in the UK, Portugal, Spain, US, Italy, Sweden, Australia, Canada, and suspected in a slew of other countries.

India has not recorded any case, as of yet.

How is monkeypox transmitted?

• Monkeypox can be transmitted from animals to humans by the consumption of leftover, uncooked food from an infected animal.

• It can also be contracted through contact with respiratory secretions and skin lesions of an infected person. Transmission via droplets can occur in case of prolonged face-to-face contact.

• Congenital transmission (from a mother to their fetus) via the placenta is also possible.

• Links to sexual transmission are being investigated after an outbreak in sexual networks.

What are the symptoms of monkeypox?

• Monkeypox usually shows up 5 to 21 days after infection. It displays smallpox-like symptoms, such as a fever, intense headaches, muscle aches and a distinct lack of energy.

• Perhaps the most recognizable feature of monkeypox is the prominent swelling of the lymph nodes, most commonly around the neck.

• Rashes also show up around the neck 1 to 3 days after the fever in most cases, and in the palms and soles of feet. The illness typically lasts for 2 to 4 weeks.

Is there a vaccine for monkeypox?

Smallpox vaccines have been shown to be 85% effective against monkeypox, and they played a major role in its eradication in the 1980s. According to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), JYNNEOS (also known as Imvamune or Imvanex) is an attenuated live virus vaccine which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of monkeypox, although it is still under approval from other bodies.

How is monkeypox diagnosed and treated?

Samples are taken from lesions or dry crusts from an infected person, and subsequent Polymerase Chain reaction (PCR) tests are done in the laboratory to confirm the disease.

There is no specific treatment for monkeypox yet. The symptoms must be addressed and cared for individually to prevent complications.

However, when caring for infected patients, it is important to use personal protective equipment (PPE) and practice good hygiene, such as washing your hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

What is the monkeypox mortality rate?

There are two major strains of the monkeypox virus. The variant detected recently is the less severe one, with a mortality rate of about 1 in 100 people. The previous variant, however, resulted in 1 in 10 fatalities.

Sonoma County has reported 6 monkeypox victims. The US is about 7,500.

Be Safe!

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