According to the news of the British medical journal BMJ local time on May 17, the UK Health Security Agency(UKHSA ) said that seven cases of monkeypox (Monkeypox) have been confirmed in England, or community transmission has occurred.
Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus. The virus was first discovered in 1958 in a monkey being used as an experimental study and causes herpes similar to chickenpox or syphilis, known as “monkeypox”.
On the 7th of this month, the United Kingdom reported the first case of monkeypox infection. The patient had previously traveled to Nigeria and was likely to be infected. Monkeypox virus infection in Nigeria. However, the four newly identified cases of monkeypox appear to have no known link to the three cases announced on the 7th and 14th, nor have they travelled to countries with a history of monkeypox epidemics.
How did these new cases get infected? Does it indicate that the monkeypox virus is likely to have formed community transmission?
The cause of transmission is unknown, or has formed community transmission
According to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention Since January 1 this year, 15 confirmed and 46 suspected monkeypox infections have been reported nationwide.
The first case of monkeypox diagnosed in the UK on the 7th had a history of living in Nigeria. The case developed a rash on April 29, left Nigeria on May 3, and arrived in the UK on May 4. Therefore, it is highly likely that the patient brought the monkeypox virus back to the UK and spread it to two other people. According to laboratory RT-PCR detection, the virus was determined to be monkeypox(West African branch).
The strange thing is that the 4 new cases do not seem to be related to the first 3 cases, and UKHSA is still Investigate where and how these cases contracted monkeypox. However, medical staff found that the four new cases had something in common – they all self-identified as gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men.
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（Source: News Medical）
(Click the blank to view the content)▼“There is evidence that monkeypox virus transmission through close contact may already be present in the community.Therefore, we strongly advise the above population that any unusual rash appears or lesions, please contact the sexual health service in time.”
Jimmy Whitworth, professor of international public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, agrees with Hopkins. He stressed, “This outbreak of monkeypox is unprecedented in the UK and urgent public health action must be taken. Educate high-risk groups such as gay men and bisexuals to ensure they understand the existence of monkeypox infection and urge them to Prompt reporting of any relevant signs and symptoms to the health facility is imperative.”
Similar to smallpox, but self-limiting
Monkeypox virus, which belongs to the same genus of Orthopoxvirus as smallpox virus, is mostly found in monkeys in the rainforests of central and western Africa. Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease that can also infect other animals and occasionally humans.
According to WHO, the main mode of transmission of monkeypox is direct contact and a large number of exhaled droplets. The infection of monkeypox virus from animals to humans can be achieved by being bitten by an infected animal, or by direct contact with the blood, body fluids, monkeypox lesions of an infected animal, or by eating undercooked meat from an infected animal.
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Human-to-human transmission of monkeypox is not very common, but direct contact with infected people Blood, body fluids, or virus-contaminated items(such as clothing and bedding), etc., can still spread the virus from person to person.
This is why doctors feel that “the last 4 monkeypox patients seem to be different from the first 3 patients. The situation of “intersection” is very abnormal, and it is speculated that “community transmission has formed”.
The incubation period for monkeypox is usually 6-13 days. After infection, it can be roughly divided into two stages: 0-5 days, there will be fever, severe headache, swollen lymph nodes, soreness in body parts, etc.; then a rash will appear on the face, palms and soles, and on the trunk. The changes of the rash are From a maculopapular rash to small blisters and pustules, it will scab in about 10 days.
Source: UK government website >
There is currently no specific treatment, but monkeypox is generally self-limiting, and symptoms usually resolve spontaneously within 14 to 21 days.
In clinical symptoms, monkeypox and smallpox are very similar; The spread is far less than that of smallpox. The data provided by WHO shows that monkeypox of different branches is slightly different, and the case fatality rate is about 1%-10%, while that of smallpox is as high as 30%.
In addition, multiple observational studies have demonstrated that the smallpox vaccine is approximately 85% effective in preventing monkeypox , so there is no need to panic too much.
Whitworth said that the spread of monkeypox virus is not strong. The monkeypox outbreak can be brought under control quickly.
References:
[1]https://www.who.int /emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2022-DON381
[2]https://www-bmj-com-s.webvpn.cams.cn/content /377/bmj.o1239
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