WHO explains what monkeypox is, how it spreads, who is at risk and how to protect yourself
Due to the urgency of suspected or confirmed cases of monkeypox or monkeypox that have appeared in countries where the disease does not usually occur, including Germany, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Spain, United States, France, Italy , the Netherlands, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Sweden, the World Health Organization answered certain questions about this disease and what measures can be taken to protect yourself.
What is monkeypox?
It is a disease caused by a virus, which is known as monkeypox . It is a viral zoonotic disease, which means it can be transmitted from animals to humans. It can also spread from person to person. Interestingly, the disease is so named because it was detected in several monkeys in a laboratory in 1958. However, most of the animals susceptible to contracting the disease and then infecting people are rodents, such as Gambian giant rats, dormouse or prairie dogs.
Where is it typically found?
Monkeypox is commonly found in the tropical forests of central and western Africa, where animals that can carry the virus live, and is endemic. On some occasions, it can also be found in people outside these African regions who could have been infected after visiting them.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms generally include fever, severe headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, swollen lymph nodes, and skin rashes or lesions.
The rash usually begins on the first or third day of the onset of fever. The lesions may be flat or slightly raised, filled with clear or yellowish fluid, and then crust over, dry up, and fall off. The number of lesions in one person varies from a few to several thousand. The rash tends to appear on the face, the palms of the hands, and the soles of the feet. They can also be found in the mouth, genitals, and eyes.
Symptoms usually last two to four weeks and go away on their own without treatment. If you think your symptoms might be related to monkeypox, contact your doctor immediately. If you had close contact with someone who has these symptoms or suspects that there is a possibility of being infected, notify your doctor.
Can people die from monkeypox?
In most cases, the symptoms of smallpox go away on their own in a few weeks, but in some people they can cause medical complications and even death. Newborns, children, and people with immunocompromises may be at risk of more severe symptoms and death from the disease.
Complications of severe cases include infections skin rashes, pneumonia, confusion, and eye infections that can lead to vision loss. Between 3% and 6% of identified cases where monkeypox is endemic have resulted in deaths. Many of these cases are children or people who may have other health conditions. Keep in mind that these figures could be an overestimate because case counts in endemic countries are limited.
How is monkeypox transmitted from animals to humans?
This condition can be spread to people when they come into physical contact with an infected animal. Animals that harbor this virus can include rodents or primates. The risk of contracting such disease from animals can be reduced by avoiding unprotected contact with wild animals, especially those that are sick or dead (including contact with their flesh and blood). It is crucial to stress that any food that contains meat or animal parts should be cooked, especially in countries where monkeypox is endemic.
How does it spread from person to person? person?
People who have the disease are contagious while they have symptoms (usually within the first two to four weeks). You can get this condition through physical contact with someone who has symptoms. Rashes, body fluids (such as fluids, pus, or blood from skin lesions), and scabs are particularly infectious. Contact with objects that have been in contact with the infected person such as clothing, bedding, towels or objects such as eating utensils can also represent a source of infection.
They can also be ulcers, lesions or sores are infectious since the virus can be spread through saliva. Therefore, we will have a high risk of infection if we live with infected people in our house or if we do it with sexual partners. People who work in the health sector are also more exposed.
The virus can also be transmitted from a pregnant woman to the fetus through the placenta, or through contact of an infected parent with the child during or after delivery through skin-to-skin contact.
However, it is not clear if people who are asymptomatic can transmit the disease.
Who is at risk of contracting it?
Any person who comes into physical contact with someone with symptoms or with an infected animal is at greater risk of infection. People who have been vaccinated against smallpox are likely to have some protection against infection. In 1980 smallpox became the first human disease to be eradicated, so vaccination against this disease was stopped. Therefore, younger people are more likely to get it. However, people who have been vaccinated against smallpox should also take precautions to protect themselves and others.
More severe symptoms and higher risk of death may be experienced by newborns, children and people with underlying immunodeficiencies. They are also at high risk healthcare workers due to prolonged exposure to the virus.