THE monkey pox (monkeypox) is a viral disease transmitted to humans from animals, considered a zoonosis. Symptoms are similar to those seen in patients with the common smallpox that was declared eradicated worldwide in 1980, although it is clinically less severe.
The name of the disease comes from the initial discovery of the virus in monkeys in a Danish laboratory in 1958. However, the animal reservoir remains unknown although it is likely to be among rodents, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to the WHO, contact with live and dead animals through hunting and bushmeat consumption are known risk factors.
THE first human case was identified in a child in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970 . Since then, most cases have been reported in rural and forested regions of the Congo Basin, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Human cases have been increasingly reported across Central and West Africa.
THE The disease is caused by a virus that belongs to the orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family. . There are two groups of monkeypox virus: those from West Africa and those from the Congo Basin (Central Africa).
How does the transmission happen?
the virus of Monkeypox is spread from person to person by close contact with injuries, body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials such as bedding. The incubation period is usually 6 to 13 days, but can range from 5 to 21 days.
Several animal species have been identified as susceptible to monkeypox virus, including squirrels, mice, voles, non-human primates and other species. According to the WHO, Further studies are needed to identify the exact reservoirs and how the circulation of the virus is maintained in nature . Ingestion of undercooked meat and other animal products from infected animals is a possible risk factor.
Smallpox is usually self-limiting, but it can be serious in some individuals, such as children, pregnant women, or people who are immunosuppressed due to other health conditions.
Human infections with the West African type of virus appear to cause less severe illness compared to the Congo Basin viral group, with a fatality rate of 3.6% compared to 10.6% for the Congo Basin viral group. .
The clinical differential diagnosis includes other exanthematous diseases such as chickenpox, measles, bacterial skin infections, scabies, syphilis, and drug-associated allergies. Change in the size of lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy) may be a clinical feature to distinguish the disease.
Monkeypox endemic countries are: Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana (identified only in animals), Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Sudan South.
disease outbreak
As of May 13, cases of monkeypox have been reported to the WHO in 12 countries that are not endemic for the disease.
Epidemiological investigations are ongoing, however the cases reported so far do not have established travel links to endemic areas, according to the WHO.
Based on currently available information, cases have been identified primarily, but not exclusively, among men who have sex with men (MSM) seeking care in primary care and sexual health clinics.
To date, all cases whose samples were confirmed by molecular diagnostics (RT PCR) have been identified as infected with the West African viral group.
Genome sequencing of a sample from a confirmed case in Portugal indicated a close match of the monkeypox virus causing the current outbreak to cases exported from Nigeria to the UK, Israel and Singapore in 2018 and 2019.
For the WHO, the identification of confirmed and suspected cases of smallpox without direct travel links to an endemic area represents a highly unusual event. More cases in non-endemic areas are expected to be reported, according to the WHO. In addition, available information suggests that person-to-person transmission is occurring through close physical contact with symptomatic cases.
Source: CNN Brasil
