DISCLAIMER:
This article is for informational or educational purposes only. Please seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.
It feels like we are just catching some breath after a gruelling battle against Covid for two years and now the news of a new outbreak, monkeypox is making headlines. In May 2022, Europe, the US and Australia reported an increasing number of monkeypox cases in a few weeks period. Monkeypox virus belongs to the family of orthopoxvirus which causes a disease similar to smallpox but with milder symptoms. Although smallpox was eradicated in 1980, monkeypox is still prevalent in central and west African countries. Monkeypox is classified as zoonosis or in other words, a disease spread from animals to humans and human to human transmission is said to be limited. In Malaysia, there have been no cases reported to date and the director-general of health, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that the progress of the disease is being closely monitored and the country’s international entry points are being surveilled for any possible cases.
What are the common symptoms?
The incubation period for the disease ranges from 5 to 21 days and they are divided into two stages, namely the febrile stage and skin eruption stage. The febrile stage lasts 1 to 3 days while the skin eruption stage ranges between 2 to 4 weeks. Some of the common symptoms of the infection are:
- Fever
- Muscle aches
- Intense headache
- Lack of energy
- Swelling of the lymph nodes
- Rash (often appears 1-3 days after fever in the skin eruption stage)
How does it spread?
The infectivity rate is much lower for monkeypox but the transmission of the virus can happen when someone comes into close contact with an infected animal, human or contaminated surfaces. The virus can enter the body through broken skin, eyes, nose or mouth. The transmission from animals to humans can occur through close contact with infected animals, contact with bodily fluids, bite or scratch or by eating infected meat. Human to human transmission on the other hand requires prolonged face-to-face contact, contact with bodily fluids or lesions and contact with contaminated personal belongings like bedding.
Treatment and Prevention
According to CDC, there is no specific treatment for monkeypox for now but smallpox vaccine, antivirals and vaccinia immune globulin (VIG) treatments are currently being used to manage the condition. There are a few measures which can be practised to prevent the infection:
- Avoid contact with infected animals
- Avoid contact with contaminated materials of infected animals
- Infected patients should practice isolation
- Practice good personal hygiene
- Wash hands regularly
- Use gloves and personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling infected patients
Given that monkeypox primarily spreads from animal to human and human to human transmission is very limited, the outbreaks generally dwindle. Nevertheless, WHO and other health authorities alongside scientists are studying the recent outbreaks in a few countries to ensure we are aware of the transmission risk and be prepared for anything that comes forth. As of now, the expert says that it is not a concern for a pandemic, regardless as a responsible member of the public stay informed of the condition from trusted sources and practice the precautionary measures to stay safe and healthy!
Sources
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