The Louisiana Health Department reported Thursday that it was first confirmed in the state. In the case of monkeypoxAn infectious disease similar to smallpox, has sounded a warning because the outbreak has reached more than 30 states since spring.
The case is in Region 1 individuals, including Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard Parish. In addition, out-of-state residents who visited Louisiana also tested positive for the virus.
These are the first cases identified in Louisiana, but monkeypox may have been present in the state for some time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified more than 605 cases across the United States.
“It is widely believed that there are more monkeypox epidemics in this country than officially identified and diagnosed,” said state health officer Dr. Joe Canter.
The risk remains low.Experts encourage precautions
The outbreak has raised concerns, but the risk is now relatively low. Monkeypox is not as easily transmitted as other viruses such as measles and COVID-19. Transmission usually requires close exposure or pain or contact with other fluids.
People with this type of monkeypox are unlikely to die, and during this outbreak there were no deaths in the United States. However, a serious case occurred, and 73 people died of monkeypox this year in Africa.
“Death in a highly developed and advanced healthcare system like the United States is not unheard of, but very rare,” says Canter. “It doesn’t mean it’s impossible.”
People with weakened immunity, children under the age of 8, people with a history of eczema, and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding are at increased risk of serious illness.
Various symptoms
Symptoms include fever, malaise, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that looks like acne or blisters. They can be painful and the rash can cause permanent scarring.
However, symptoms also appear differently in some infected individuals in the United States and are primarily identified in men who have sex with men.
“If you go right now and look at Google Monkeypox, you may see pictures of individuals in West Africa and Central Africa covered with very scary lesions,” Kanter said. “That is not the method presented by most cases of this domestic outbreak.”
The blistering lesions in this development can be confined to parts of the body, often the genitals, Canter said. And many infected people do not have a fever.
Dr. Julio Figueroa, responsible for the infection at LSU Health New Orleans, said the isolated location of the pustular lesions could have caused confusion as to whether monkeypox was another disease.
“The incidence of sexually transmitted diseases here is so high that we couldn’t actually get tested,” Figueroa said.
A total of about 30 to 40 monkeypox tests are performed in the state. State authorities expect more test availability as large national laboratories provide tests.
Patricia Kissinger, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the University of Tulane, has some new evidence that individuals may be asymptomatic of the infection, but they can spread the virus. It is not clear if this is the case. She said there is still much to learn about the current outbreak.
“There should be no fear or panic,” Kissinger said. “But we need to take precautions.”
These precautions include standard infection prevention, such as washing hands and avoiding rashes on infected individuals. According to the CDC, infections can also be transmitted through bedding and shared equipment. According to Figueroa, the infection can spread even after the lesion has been covered.
According to Kissinger, gay and bisexual men need special attention as they appear to be the most prevalent in these communities. Still, anyone can get infected.
20 dose reductions
State epidemiologist Teresa Socol has identified 15-20 close contacts of infected individuals and vaccinated individuals considered to be at high risk with 5-10 smallpox vaccines.
Smallpox vaccine is thought to prevent diseases caused by monkeypox Completely, if administered within 4 days of exposure, relieve symptoms if administered within 5-14 days. Since monkeypox is a cousin of the smallpox virus, the vaccine is effective against both.
Louisiana initially received 20 vaccines from the federal government, which has a limited supply of two medicines approved to prevent smallpox. The CDC will allocate more vaccines to the state on Friday.
Many older people in the United States have been vaccinated against smallpox, but it is “unknown” whether the protection will last for decades, Figueroa said.
