Monkeypox Fever: What Is It? Causes, Symptoms And Treatment, Explained
It’s just when we thought, coronavirus is reaching an endemic state, another viral infection Monkeypox is raising alarm, across the globe. This unusual occurrence of virus that was largely confined to central and western Africa, till a week back, is now being reported in 11 countries across Europe and North America and in Australia. The United States has also confirmed its first monkeypox case in a patient hospitalised in Massachusetts.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2021, two persons travelling from Nigeria to the US were diagnosed with this infection.Monkeypox is mostly found in West and Central Africa, but in recent years cases have been seen in Europe, including the United Kingdom. However, those cases are usually associated with international travel or imported animals infected with pox, states the CDC.
The first case of monkeypox viral infection in humans was reported in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which otherwise infects simians. Infectious disease experts reveal that there have been only a few cases of monkeypox outside central and west Africa in the last 50 years. That’s why the sudden spurt of the infection in European regions has raised concerns.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is keenly monitoring the outbreak of this viral fever. Further, it has been warned that the number of patients affected with monkeypox fever is expected to increase in the coming days.Till now, no such case has been reported in India. However, in India, the National Centre for Disease Control and the Indian Council of Medical Research is closely watching the outbreak and the department has asked states to be vigilant. Renowned medical experts told the media that, there is no need to panic, as the potential of monkeypox fever is very less, besides being a self-limiting infection. Further, experts also stated that smallpox vaccination works against it, and can be immunologically speculated that certain people in India may be immune to monkeypox.
Read this article to know what is monkeypox fever, its causes, symptoms and treatment options available.
What Is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis, a virus transmitted to humans from animals with symptoms related to smallpox, however, it is clinically less severe. With the elimination of smallpox in 1980 and following the ending of smallpox vaccination, monkeypox fever has emerged as the most vital orthopoxvirus for public health. Monkeypox mainly occurs in the rainforest regions of central and west Africa. Animal hosts include a wide variety of rodents and non-human primates.
Monkeypox virus is an enclosed double-stranded DNA virus, that belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family. Two unique genetic clades of the monkeypox virus are identified- the Central African (Congo Basin) clade and the West African clade. The Congo Basin clade has caused more serious diseases and is thought to be highly transmissible.
What Are Natural Hosts For Monkeypox Virus?
Several kinds of animal species have been identified as susceptible to the monkeypox virus, which includes rope squirrels, tree squirrels, Gambian pouched rats, dormice, non-human primates, and other species. However, it is still not clear about the history of the monkeypox virus and further studies are required to identify the exact source and how virus transmission is maintained in nature.
Symptoms Of Monkeypox
In humans, monkeypox is quite similar to smallpox, except for the enlargement of lymph nodes with monkeypox. Around 12 days of the incubation period, the infection starts with fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, feeling of discomfort and tiredness are common symptoms, Within 1 to 3 days, after developing a fever, the patient may see a popular rash (ie raised bumps), mostly seen on the face first, but at times initially on other regions of the body. The lesions happen through different stages, before crusting and falling off.
Key Facts Of Monkeypox:
- This is caused by the monkeypox virus, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae
- It is a viral zoonotic disease that develops mainly in tropical rainforest regions of Central and West Africa and is rarely distributed to other areas
- This viral infection usually shows clinically with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may result in a range of medical conditions
- It is a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting from 2 to 4 weeks, severe cases can happen. The case-fatality ratio has been around 3-6%
- Monkeypox is transmitted to human beings via close contact with an infected person or animal or any material contaminated with the virus
- It spreads from one person to another by close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets, and soiled materials like bedding
- Vaccines used to eradicate smallpox also offered protection against monkeypox. Newer vaccines have been developed and one of them has been approved for the prevention of monkeypox
- Antiviral medicine used for the treatment of smallpox has been also licensed for the treatment of monkeypox
How Long Does Monkeypox Last?
Monkeypox infection usually lasts for 2 to 4 weeks.
Is Monkeypox Fatal?
Human studies carried out in remote areas of central and west Africa have revealed case-fatality ratios of as high as 10%.
Treatment For Monkeypox
Currently, there is no treatment available for this viral infection. However, the smallpox vaccine has been found to lower the risk of monkeypox among previously vaccinated individuals. The Centres for Disease Control And Prevention is evaluating the possible role of smallpox vaccines as well as the therapeutic use of the antiviral drug cidofovir.
Prevention
Raising awareness of risk factors and educating people about effective steps they can take to lessen exposure to viruses is the key prevention strategy for monkeypox. Research is now underway to assess the viability and suitability of vaccination for the prevention and spread of monkeypox.