.. Auburn Infectious Disease Expert Explains Monkeypox

Article body

Increasing cases of monkeypox in the United States and around the world – a third case of infectious disease has been identified Friday in Georgia – There are many questions about what the disease is, how it is transmitted, who is vulnerable, and how it is treated. Marilyn BlochAssociate Clinical Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Harrison Pharmacy provides comments on what is known about the virus.

Bulloch received his PhD in Pharmacy from Rutgers University in 2007 and completed his residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Charleston (South Carolina) Community Health Center. Her research interests include acute medication, infectious diseases, internal medicine, and drug use in the elderly. She spoke at the national, regional, and local levels on a variety of medical topics, including topics on influenza and other viral infections. She has been published in many medical and pharmacy journals.

What is monkeypox and what are the symptoms?

Monkeypox is an orthopoxvirus or orthopoxvirus in the same category or genus as smallpox and cowpox. Although rare, it causes smallpox-like syndromes. It was first confirmed in Denmark in 1958. There, an outbreak of pustular disease occurred in a macaque colony imported from Singapore for research purposes. The first human case was not documented in the Democratic Republic of the Congo until 12 years later. Researchers do not know what the natural reservoir of the virus is. It is believed to be either an African rodent or a non-human primate.

Like all other viruses, monkeypox is not a single strand of the virus. There are multiple versions, sometimes referred to as “clades”. Ramification groups in the Congo Basin show higher mortality in patients with a normal immune system than in West African ramification groups.

If this has been around for a long time, why are we listening to it now?

There are several reasons why it wasn’t at the forefront. People born before the mid-1970s are most likely vaccinated against smallpox vaccines that provide protection against other orthopox infections. The virus is known to circulate in animals and sporadically appears in humans over the years. Most human cases of the virus have been reported in Africa and are the most common in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Past non-African incidents may be related to trips to these areas.

When smallpox was eradicated, military members still received it, but regular smallpox vaccination was discontinued. This was when cases of monkeypox actually began to appear more frequently – in patients who were not vaccinated against smallpox. Thirty to forty years ago, the majority of humans were vaccinated against smallpox, but today less than one-third are vaccinated. The rate is much lower in developing countries. As the number of people with innate or vaccine-induced immunity decreases, the virus has the opportunity to circulate.

Most transmission routes reported in the past have been relatively short. Unlike the case of influenza, where a large number of people can be infected after exposure, it is slightly higher in some chains, but it stops in 1 to 3 people. Since an “outbreak” is not the number of people who have become associated with an “outbreak” of an infection, the infections reported in the media and medical literature affect many people at once.

How did it reach the United States and how did it spread?

In the United States, monkeypox occurs in people who have traveled to countries where the virus is naturally occurring, or who have imported animals from those areas.

The virus can invade humans through damage to the respiratory tract, mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth and nose, or skin, and even the slightest damage. So far, human-to-human transmission is primarily caused by respiratory infections. Unlike some viruses, the respiratory droplets that carry this virus do not travel that far. In order for the virus to spread among humans, there must be widespread, close, face-to-face contact.

There have also been reports of human infections due to contact with lesions. For example, touching contaminated bedding. It is currently being investigated whether the virus can be sexually transmitted. There was a cluster of cases between men having sex with men. However, it is not yet known whether this is due to fluid-mediated transmission or spread from lesions of the genitals and groin. It is reasonable to think that it can spread in the same way regardless of sexual orientation.

What if I get monkeypox?

Some people may be afraid because monkeypox looks new. From human infections that have occurred since 1970, the symptoms are similar, but much milder than those found in smallpox. Many people may associate early symptoms with those of the flu (flu): fever, headache, marked malaise, and muscle aches.

In monkeypox, people’s lymph nodes swell. The rash appears for a few days, on average 1-3 days, but can be even longer after the onset of fever. The typical spread of the rash is from the face to other parts of the body. Most infected people have a fever and a rash. This helps distinguish it from other potential sources of infection.

Symptoms usually appear about 1-2 weeks (7-14 days) after exposure / infection, but some people do not show symptoms until 3 weeks after infection. Lesions develop and gradually become scabs before shedding. The duration of symptoms varies greatly. Some people feel better within 5 days, while others continue to have symptoms after 3 weeks.

Are there any precautions I can take against it?

It is important to remember that communication between humans requires direct and / or long-term contact. The symptoms of monkeypox are much more specific than other infections and should be avoided unless you are providing care to an infected person who cannot care for yourself.

What if I feel I might have it?

After years of social distance, you may be disappointed to hear that quarantine is the first step in managing monkeypox. However, isolation should be done until all lesions have healed and a new skin layer has formed. Even after quarantine is stopped, infected people should not be in close contact with immunocompromised people until all the skin of the lesion is gone.

If exposed, symptoms should be self-monitored. As long as there are no symptoms, people can continue their normal activities. If they appear, isolate yourself and contact your local health department. As mentioned earlier, most people with monkeypox have a fever and a rash. However, in rare cases, chills and swollen lymph nodes may be seen. If you do not have a fever or rash after 24 hours, your healthcare provider should evaluate it to rule out other causes.

Is there a cure for monkeypox?

There are precautions. Smallpox vaccine has been shown to prevent monkeypox. There is also an FDA-approved vaccine called JYNNEOS, which has been approved by the FDA for the prevention of monkeypox. It was developed to help prevent infection of people at risk of occupational exposure to the virus, such as those who work in laboratories with primates.

Two doses are required at 4-week intervals for protection. People who have previously been vaccinated against smallpox may have slightly fewer side effects. Side effects seen in the study included pain at the injection site, redness, induration, and itching. Some people experienced temporary muscle pain, headaches, nausea, malaise, and chills. This is similar to what you see with regular vaccines on the market. Vaccines have been studied in thousands of people in clinical trials.

To date, viral infections are mild in most people without treatment. However, like other microbes, it can cause serious illness and death in some cases. There is no special treatment for monkeypox. In previous outbreaks, smallpox vaccines were provided to exposed but not necessarily symptomatic people. It has been proposed that the medicines we can use to treat smallpox may be effective in treating monkeypox.