In 2022, it seems a bit magical.
The new crown has not yet settled, and monkeypox is on the rise again.
Another infectious disease has re-emerged when the cause of unexplained acute hepatitis in children has not been identified.
According to media reports, as of May 21, 92 confirmed cases and 28 suspected cases of monkeypox have been reported in 12 non-monkeypox-endemic countries.
This virus is generally uncommon and rarely spreads from person to person.
However, WHO says: Available information indicates that human-to-human transmission is currently occurring in people who have had close physical contact with symptomatic cases.
What is monkeypox?
When it comes to monkeypox, the first thing many people think of is smallpox.
Monkeypox is a close relative of smallpox and is a member of the orthopoxvirus genus. This is a viral zoonotic disease whose causative monkey pox virus is a DNA virus.
As early as 1958, scientists had a group of monkeys for research in vivo isolation and identification, because the experimental object was monkeys, hence the name.
(electron microscope image of mature monkeypox virus (left) and immature virion (right))
In 1980, humans successfully eliminated smallpox virus, and monkeypox virus began to catch up, becoming the orthopox virus with the greatest impact on public health.
The natural hosts for the transmission of this virus are carious animals, and animals such as squirrels, voles, and different species of monkeys may also be infected.
(smallpox “relative”)
What are the symptoms of monkeypox?
Monkeypox symptoms are similar to smallpox, but the clinical severity is relatively mild, with an incubation period of approximately 6-13 days and possibly as long as 21 days.
Often manifested as:
1. Fever
Different patients have different symptoms. If the fever is too severe and not treated in time, it will have a serious impact on the development of the brain.
Some patients may also experience headaches, swollen lymph nodes and other symptoms.
2. Severe exhaustion
Most patients experience lethargy following a viral infection. In addition, symptoms such as coma may appear suddenly in severe cases.
In addition, some patients experience muscle soreness and other symptoms. If it is not controlled in time and effectively, it will cause the limbs to be cold and weak.
3. Extensive rash on face and body
The face, back, and a large number of herpes will appear at the same time, and when the herpes is touched, there will be a very strong pain. Pay special attention to when the herpes appears on the feet, there will be unstable walking.
If the rash is not improved in time, the patient may develop secondary infection, bronchopneumonia, sepsis and other phenomena as the condition worsens.
In addition, some patients may experience shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, crying, and in severe cases, respiratory problems.
The reported mortality rate for monkeypox is approximately 1%-10%, with the highest mortality rate in children, and most people recover without treatment within 14-21 days .
Why is monkeypox so worried when we can beat smallpox?
Although monkeypox and smallpox are close relatives, and diseases such as smallpox have been defeated in human history, why is the monkeypox epidemic still worrying many medical scientists?
First, this round of monkeypox appears in a different place
Monkeypox usually occurs in areas with poor medical conditions such as Central Africa and West Africa. These areas are also often in areas with many wild animals, so they have more contact with mammals such as monkeys.
The monkeypox epidemic has occurred in many developed countries. These countries have developed medical care and advanced public health. Under such conditions, it is reasonable to say that the probability of occurrence is not high, but this time But it also spread rapidly.
Similarly, the turnover rate of such developed countries is much greater than that of African countries, which also leads to the rapid spread of monkeypox and a new channel.
Second, this round of monkeypox infection is not small
You must know that there were only 511 large-scale infections in areas where medical care in Africa was backward in the past, but this time it has spread to more than 80 cases in developed countries. is sporadic.
This also means that many people are in the incubation period, which, combined with their free spread, can lead to a larger infection.
Third, most people are not vaccinated against smallpox
Since humans successfully eliminated the smallpox virus in 1977, most of the new population has not been vaccinated against smallpox for more than 40 years.
Even if the vaccine is re-produced, it often takes a long time, and it often takes a long time to wait for a vaccine that can finally meet human needs.
The re-emergence of monkeypox, man-made or natural disaster?
In the absence of specific drugs and vaccines, the only way to reduce infection in the population is to raise awareness of risk factors.
my country has not yet reported related monkeypox and confirmed cases on behalf of others. We don’t need to panic too much, but we need to strengthen our understanding of this type of virus and do a good job of self-prevention and control.
Faced with overwhelming news, perhaps we can have a more scientific understanding.
References:
【1】Zhang Jiaxing. Human-to-human transmission confirmed. Will monkeypox virus become the next “smallpox”? [N]. Science and Technology Daily, 2022-05-24(002).
[2] Gong Zhenyu, Gong Xunliang. An overview of new monkeypox outbreaks in West and Central Africa from 1970 to 2017 [J]. Disease Surveillance, 2018, 33(06): 531-532.