Monkeypox Virus – The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Saturday declared monkeypox virus a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). The viral which was first identified in monkeys is now being transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person. Meanwhile, India’s total tally of Monkeypox virus cases reached 4 after a 34-year-old man from Delhi tested positive on Sunday. The disease is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe.
The monkeypox virus is the rare disease known as monkeypox. It causes flu-like symptoms and a rash. It is a member of the orthopoxvirus family, which also includes the more well-known smallpox virus. Two outbreaks of a condition resembling the pox that were occurring in groups of monkeys being used for research led to the discovery of monkeypox in 1958. Although skin-to-skin contact with an infected person can occasionally spread the disease, rodent interaction with infected humans accounts for the majority of its transmission. The monkeypox virus has two distinct kinds (clades), one of which originated in Central Africa and the other in West Africa. The less dangerous West African clade is the origin of the current global pandemic (2022).
The virus typically presents itself with fever, headache, rashes for up to three weeks, sore throat, cough, and swollen lymph nodes. The symptoms include lesions, which usually begin within one to three days of the onset of fever, last for around two to four weeks, and are often described as painful until the healing phase when they turn itchy (in the crust stage).
1. One should not eat inadequately cooked meat and other animal products in order to prevent the disease.
2. Don’t get in close contact with the person who is already infected with the virus.
3. Maintain a significant distance from the infected person.
4. Avoid using the infected person’s materials such as the bedding the person as it could be contaminated with the virus.
5. Being in contact with the sick person’s material can increase the chances of the transmission of the infection. In case of accidental contact, make use of soap or water or alcohol-based sanitizers to disinfect your hands.
According to WHO, monkeypox is a virus that causes mild symptoms including fever, aches, and pus-filled skin lesions and the infected people tend to recover within two to four weeks.
When you come into contact with an animal or a person who is infected with the virus, you could develop monkeypox. Animals can transmit diseases to people by biting or scratching people, or by coming into direct touch with their blood, bodily fluids, or lesions from an affected animal (sores).
Although less frequent, monkeypox can spread from person to person. When you come into contact with the sores, scabs, respiratory droplets, or oral secretions of an infected person, person-to-person spread (also known as transmission) happens. This typically happens through close, personal circumstances like hugging, kissing, or intercourse. Although study is ongoing, it is unclear if the virus is spread through semen or vaginal fluids.
Typically, monkeypox is a self-limiting illness with symptoms that last between two and four weeks. Monkeypox typically resolves on its own without medical intervention. After a diagnosis, your doctor will keep an eye on your health, try to alleviate your symptoms, prevent dehydration, and administer antibiotics to treat any developing secondary bacterial infections.
Monkeypox does not currently have an approved antiviral therapy. Although they haven’t been researched as a monkeypox treatment, antiviral medications may be helpful. There are a number of investigational antivirals with activity against monkeypox, but they can only be obtained through a research study.
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