Early in the morning, I believe many of my friends are attracted by a piece of news.
On May 18, local time, the first case of monkeypox this year was confirmed in Massachusetts, the United States, and the rare disease is rapidly spreading in Europe.
The UK Health and Safety Authority also issued an announcement on the 18th, saying that there have been two more cases of human infection of monkeypox in the UK, and a total of 9 cases have been confirmed.
Based on the latest new cases and case reports from various European countries, monkeypox is now likely to have spread in the community.
Monkeypox, what is it?
Perhaps, many people don’t even know about this disease, or even hear about it.
The so-called monkeypox is actually a viral zoonotic disease.
Monkeypox occurs primarily in monkeys in the rainforests of central and western Africa, but can also infect other animals.
In general, these viruses can be passed from animals to humans through close contact, although human-to-human transmission is unlikely, but close contact with an infected person can lead to infection.
In addition, the clinical manifestations of this disease are similar to those of smallpox, but the disease is relatively mild, and transmission usually involves blood and body fluids.
Of course, monkeypox is much less contagious than the smallpox virus.
What are the symptoms of monkeypox infection?
Generally speaking, the incubation period of monkeypox is usually 6-16 days. Once infected with monkeypox virus, it can be divided into two stages according to the symptoms:
1. Onset period
After infection with monkeypox virus, usually within 0-5 days, the human body will develop a series of virus resistance mechanisms, and patients will experience fever, severe headache, swollen lymph nodes, and back pain. , muscle soreness, and mental exhaustion.
A small number of patients will have damage to the central nervous system, which usually lasts from 1 to 5 days.
In addition, patients may experience irritability, headache, muscle weakness, neck stiffness, vomiting, irritability and other symptoms similar to encephalitis, encephalomyelitis, Symptoms and signs of conditions such as meningitis.
2. Rash period
In the early stage of the disease, patients will have prodromal symptoms such as loss of appetite, fatigue, abdominal pain, and then different stages of rashes will appear on the face, palms, and soles and the torso.
The rash will also change regularly, starting with a maculopapular rash, then developing into small blisters, pustules, etc., which will appear in about 10 days scab.
And the number of lesions doubled, with scattered painful miliary-sized blisters on the oral mucosa, hands, buttocks, and feet There will be red papules on the buttocks etc.
Some patients also develop rashes on the genitals and conjunctiva (eyelids), and cornea (eyeball).
Also, unlike smallpox or chickenpox, some patients also experience severe lymphadenopathy before the rash.
How to treat and prevent this rare infectious disease?
Actually, for diseases like monkeypox, due to the mild disease, there is currently no effective treatment. The treatment principle is mainly to isolate patients to block infection, prevent skin damage and avoid further Infection.
In general, diseases such as monkeypox usually resolve within 2-4 weeks due to human antibodies.
To prevent diseases like monkeypox, we can:
1. Pay attention to hygiene
The disease has a lot to do with bacterial infection. Usually, it is necessary to develop good hygiene habits. Wash hands with soap and water or wash hands before meals and after defecation or after touching unclean things. Wash your hands with liquid.
At the same time, avoid drinking raw water, eating raw and cold food, and cleaning and sterilizing all utensils used.
2. Don’t go to crowded places
Since there are no specific treatments and vaccines for these diseases, it is the only way to reduce human infection and improve the awareness of high-risk factors in a timely manner.
During the epidemic, do not go to crowded places with poor ventilation, such as amusement parks, squares, supermarkets, etc. Pay attention to the hygiene and cleanliness of the home, clean it frequently, and ventilate it to reduce the chance of virus exposure.
For high-incidence areas, animal trade needs to be restricted
Whether monkeypox is deadly, there is currently no authoritative clinical data. In some African regions without medical conditions, 1 in 10 infected people will die, but most people will recovery.
According to the treatment published by WHO, diseases such as monkeypox are more deadly for young people, but the vaccinia vaccine against smallpox virus can be taken, and then the to fight monkeypox.
For Africa, where the epidemic is high, the movement of small African mammals and monkeys should be restricted or prohibited to reduce the spread of the virus outside Africa.
For animals that may be at risk of infection, the relevant epidemic prevention units need to conduct 30-day quarantine while observing the development of monkeypox-related diseases.
