What we know about monkeypox

Monkeypox It is a disease caused by the orthopox virus, and the viruses that cause it belong to the same family as the viruses that cause smallpox and cowpox. As of Thursday 156 confirmed cases The US Open monkeypox CDC map shows that California, New York, Illinois, and Florida report the most cases.

Monkeypox is endemic in West Africa and Central Africa. Reports of it are rare in the United States, but not unheard of. (There were two reports last year, 47 cases in 2003 In outbreaks related to pet prairie dogs. )

In a health warning to healthcare providers last week about the epidemic of monkeypox in the United States, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention misunderstood the monkeypox rash as some cases of monkeypox could be overlooked in the test. Warned (or will come in addition to) Other common infectious diseasesLike herpes.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Wallensky previously stated that the current monkeypox infection causes scars that resemble acne and blisters, as opposed to the more classic spread rash. NBC..Common threats to the public Still lowAccording to the CDC, it is important for individuals and their healthcare providers to detect symptoms early in order to contain the outbreak of monkeypox that occurs in many countries.

Dr. Ameshua Dalha, an infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center, said: Health safety. Monkeypox is not new, and there are already some tools to stop the spread of the infection, such as the smallpox vaccine.

What is monkeypox? How strict is it?

Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease. In other words, it is transmitted from animals to humans. Smallpox is considered to be clinically more severe than monkeypox, but it is caused by the same family of orthopoxviruses that cause smallpox.

There is Two clade or monkeypox virus types, According to the World Health Organization: West African Ramification Group and Congo Basin Ramification Group. West African strains confirmed in recent cases, according to May 26 presentation According to WHO, the case fatality rate is less than 1%. According to WHO, mortality rates in the Congo Basin or the Ramification Group in Central Africa are as high as 10%.

Caused by monkeypox 72 people died According to WHO, this year is an endemic country, but No dead It has been reported in current outbreaks in non-endemic countries, including the United States.

Monkeypox was first discovered in the monkey colonies being studied in the 1950s. According to the CDCBut it is Was also found With squirrels, rats and other animals. The first human case was discovered in 1970.

How do you catch monkeypox? Do you want to compare with COVID?

Monkeypox Spread among people According to the CDC, it is primarily due to infectious pain, scabs, or contact with body fluids, but can also spread through prolonged face-to-face contact through respiratory droplets or contact with contaminated clothing or bedding. There is sex. Experts are currently investigating whether monkeypox can spread through semen or vaginal fluid.

Anyone can get monkeypox, but the CDC says most of the recent cases in the United States are men who have sex with men. Close contact with sexual partners can expose monkeypox, and current outbreaks are associated with social networks or sexual activity within some communities.

The gay and bisexual communities, in particular, “tend to act for high awareness and prompt health regarding the sexual health of them and their communities,” said Hans Henri P. Kruge, WHO’s European Regional Director. The doctor said recently. statementPlease note that those seeking early medical services should be praised.

Close contact “approach” is an important factor in the transmission of monkeypox. It sets it apart from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with the fact that the monkeypox-causing virus appears to regenerate slower than the COVID-19 virus. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health School said in a media briefing in June.

Scientists are still learning about monkeypox in new outbreaks, but some experts say Push back “It doesn’t work like flu, COVID, chickenpox or measles, it’s a rapid epidemic in the unvaccinated community,” said Ingressby, with the idea that it’s not in the air. .. “It works much more like a disease that requires close contact.”

“Overtaking someone in a grocery store is not at risk of monkeypox,” Dr. Jennifer McKistton, Deputy Director of High-Results Pathogens and Pathology, said at a briefing in May. At the CDC.

Many recent cases of monkeypox in Europe Caused lesions in the genital area It resembles the symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease like herpes, so you should ask to evaluate if you have an unexplained rash on your genitals, says Dr. John Brooks, an epidemiologist in the HIV / AIDS prevention department. Said at the CDC Media Briefing in May.

What are the symptoms of monkeypox?

Symptoms of monkeypox in humans are similar (but milder) smallpoxWHO declared it abolished in 1980.

Monkeypox infections usually begin with flu-like symptoms such as fatigue, severe headaches, fever, and swollen lymph nodes. According to the CDC, rashes and sores occur within 1-3 days of the onset of fever and can be present in most places. Everywhere on the bodyIncludes hands, genitals, face, chest and mouth.But wherever they occur, rash or monkeypox lesions can be flat or raised, filled with clear or yellowish liquids, and eventually Dry and fall..

According to the CDC, monkeypox can spread until the pain has healed and a new layer of skin has formed. The illness usually lasts 2-4 weeks. According to the CDC, the incubation period ranges from 5 to 21 days.

In particular, some people never experience flu-like symptoms, the CDC says, and you may experience all or only a few of the typical monkeypox symptoms.For Safer sex and get-together Where you may be in close contact with the bodies of others, the CDC has fact sheets for practices to consider.

Importantly, Adalja said, “Monkeypox is not contagious during the incubation period and is not capable of spreading like certain viruses such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2.” Experts are currently investigating whether this is still the case with this outbreak.

Is there a monkeypox vaccine?

yes.US Food and Drug Administration Approves JYNNEOS Prevent monkeypox Similar to smallpox. Since monkeypox is so closely associated with smallpox, smallpox vaccines are also effective against monkeypox. In addition to JYNNEOS, the United States has another smallpox vaccine called ACAM2000.

In some countries there was high-risk contact with people with monkeypox Vaccine provided.. This type of targeted vaccination, what Adalja calls “ring vaccination,” isolates infected individuals and vaccinates their close contacts to prevent the spread of the infection. .. He said antivirals that act on smallpox will also affect monkeypox.

Dr. Daniel Pastura, head of neuroinfections at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and associate professor of neurology, medicine and epidemiology, said the vaccine did not show symptoms of monkey pox but exposed to people. Said it was used. The incubation period of illness is very long.

“Basically what you’re doing is stimulating the immune system with a vaccine to make it aware of the virus before it builds up,” Pastura said.

In the UK, health officials have not yet been exposed, High risk of monkeypox exposure A vaccine will be provided.

But Healthcare and lab specialists Those who work directly with monkeypox are recommended to be vaccinated against smallpox (and even boosters). The original smallpox vaccine has not been released to the public and has not been widely administered in the United States since the early 1970s. For this reason, the spillover or “cross-defense” immunity from the smallpox vaccine is limited to the elderly. Who said.. According to WHO, vaccination against smallpox is about 85% effective For the prevention of monkeypox.

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Monkeypox Description: What You Need to Know

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According to Pastura, recognizing the symptoms of monkeypox is helpful, but not the cause of panic, especially when more cases occur in the United States.

“This shows the need for public health,” Pastura said. “As we saw in COVID, it is very important to have a robust public health system and support our public health system.”

It also draws attention to the wide variety of viruses we live in. All zoonotic diseases ( COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection)) He said it is very important to monitor them as they can be serious.

“I think this shows that there are many threats of zoonotic diseases, which are diseases that can jump from animals to humans,” Pastura said. This demonstrates the need for public health surveillance, he said. “But it also shows that we must be careful and careful in interacting with both wildlife and livestock.”

It is also a developing situation, he said, so the recommendations made by public health authorities will change as the information does. The same applies to all illnesses and new sciences.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informative purposes only and is not intended for health or medical advice. Always consult your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider if you have any questions about your medical condition or health goals.