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SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Monkeypox symptoms include rash, fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and fatigue. A strange virus is spreading. The emergence of a case
A strange virus is spreading. The emergence of a case of monkeypox in the UK on 7 May raised alarm bells.
As the days passed, the disease began to spread and, oddly enough, nine infected people were identified in that country: sexual intercourse seems to play an important role in transmission.
The United States reported one confirmed case this Wednesday; A man who recently traveled to Canada and was hospitalized despite his condition.
Portugal reported Tuesday that it had identified five cases of men aged 20 to 50 years at a clinic for STDs. The next day, the Iberian country identified nine more, out of a total of 14 patients with monkeypox.
Spain reported this Wednesday its suspicions of eight patients who could be infected, later increasing the number to 23.
«All young adults and most men who have sex with men. But not all cases are like that,” Elena Andradas, director general of Public Health of the Community of Madrid, told a radio station of the Spanish Cadena Ser.
The official added that there were no women among the detected patients and that only patients who had sexual intercourse with women continued their care. “high risk sex”.
Andradas said those infected have been isolated and are making positive progress.
“If it is finally confirmed that we have cases of monkey disease, we are evaluating the possible usefulness of smallpox vaccine and the role it could play in controlling transmission of the infection,” the Madrid official said.
Monkeypox is caused by the virus of the same name, which is a member of the smallpox virus family.
“Monkeypox is a forest-type zoonosis with incidental human infections, often occurring sporadically in woodland areas – diseases transmitted from animals to humans. Central and West Africa«, said epidemiologist Enrique Pérez, consultant to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Disease Prevention and Control, at a press conference this Wednesday.
“It’s caused by a virus, the smallpox virus, and it belongs to a family of viruses that are orthopox viruses,” he said.
“It is a systemic disease that is manifested by a pustular rash (pus-filled pimples) and can range from a mild form (…) to a more serious illness and including death“, added.
Case fatality rates in Africa range from 4% to 22% and most patients are children.
“What do we recommend? Any illness occurring while traveling or returning from an endemic area should be reported to healthcare professionals, including recent travel information and vaccination history.
“Persons residing or traveling to endemic countries should always avoid contact with sick animals that may harbor the smallpox virus,” Pérez said. Said.
Two of the infected patients in the UK traveled from Nigeria, so they are likely to have the COVID-19 strain of the virus. West Africa, which is generally temperate.
The third case was a healthcare worker who contracted the virus from one of the patients.
The following four cases, three in London and one in the northeast of England, have no known links to each other and no travel history.
Two more cases were identified this Wednesday.
The UK Health Safety Agency said anyone concerned that they might be infected should see a healthcare professional.
Initial symptoms are fever, headache, swelling, back pain, muscle pain and general malaise.
After the fever subsides, a rash may develop that usually starts on the face and then spreads to other parts of the body, most commonly the palms and soles.
The rash, which can be very itchy, changes and goes through different stages before eventually forming a crust and then subsides. Injuries can cause scarring.
The infection usually clears up on its own and lasts for two to four weeks. Most cases are mild, sometimes resembling chickenpox.
Monkeypox can be spread when someone is in close contact with an infected person.
It’s transmitted through large inhaled droplets, PAHO’s Perez said. It can enter the body through broken skin, respiratory tract or eyes, nose or mouth and is 6 to 13 days although the incubation period can be up to 21 days.
Viral excretion through feces can also be the transmission route of the virus.
Although called “monkey pox”, it is also transmitted by rodents, marsupials and other primates. PAHO noted that the population “should avoid handling animals.”
It can also be spread through contact with infected animals or contaminated objects such as clothing.
The virus was first identified in a captive monkey, and sporadic outbreaks have been reported in 10 African countries since 1970.
There was an epidemic in the USA in 2003, the disease was first seen outside of Africa.
The patients contracted the disease through close contact with infected rodents through shipments of small mammals (rat, sea vole, and squirrel) imported from Africa.
A total of 81 cases were reported, but none resulted in death.
In 2017, Nigeria experienced its largest documented outbreak nearly 40 years after the country showed its last confirmed cases of monkeypox. There were 172 suspected cases, and 75% of the victims were men between the ages of 21 and 40.
There is no cure for monkeypox, but outbreaks can be controlled by preventing infection.
Smallpox vaccine has been shown to be 85% effective in preventing monkeypox and is still sometimes used.
Yes in Africa. According to Raúl Rivas González, professor of Microbiology at the University of Salamanca, more cases have been identified since 2016 than in the previous 40 years. Speech.
Rivas González points to four reasons for this revival:
British experts say they are nowhere near a local outbreak and the risk to the population is low, according to the UK’s public health office.
Jonathan Ball, Professor of Molecular Virology at the University of Nottingham, said: “The fact that only one of the 50 contacts of the first patient infected with monkeypox was infected, showing how weakly contagious the virus is.”
Nick Phin, deputy director of the National Infection Service at the British public health office, added: “It is important to emphasize that monkeypox does not spread easily between people and the risk to the general public is very low.”
Source: El Nacional
Alice Smith is a seasoned journalist and writer for Div Bracket. She has a keen sense of what’s important and is always on top of the latest trends. Alice provides in-depth coverage of the most talked-about news stories, delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles that keep her readers informed and engaged.
