Monkeypox cases have been reported in many countries around the world. Learn some key facts about monkeypox in this article!

Recently, several countries including the United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain, and the United States have reported confirmed or suspected cases of monkeypox. On May 18, the World Health Organization issued a notice stating that based on the currently available information, it is unclear how far the disease has spread locally in the United Kingdom, and more cases may be discovered.

Many people are still relatively unfamiliar with monkeypox. What kind of disease is this? Why is it spreading at this time? How can ordinary people prevent it? NetEase Health's "Health Focus" has sorted out some key information, let's learn about it together!

What is monkeypox?

Monkeypox is a zoonosis caused by infection with the monkeypox virus, which was first discovered in experimental monkeys in 1958. Human monkeypox was first discovered in a 9-year-old boy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970, and since then the disease has been mainly seen in rainforest countries in central and western Africa, occasionally spreading to other areas.

In 2003, the first monkeypox outbreak outside of Africa occurred in the United States, linked to contact with infected pet woodchucks, and resulted in more than 70 cases of monkeypox in the U.S. In 2021, Texas and Maryland each reported a human case of monkeypox, both of whom had previously visited Nigeria.

Since May 2022, the rare monkeypox cases found in many European and American countries are that most patients have not been to Africa, and the source of their infection has not yet been determined. The report of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control pointed out that this is the first time that the transmission chain reported in Europe has no epidemiological link with Central Africa and West Africa. The World Health Organization issued a notice on May 18th stating that the source of infection of the monkeypox cases in the UK has not yet been confirmed. Based on the known information, the infection seems to have occurred locally in the UK. It is not clear to what extent the monkeypox virus has spread in the UK, and more cases may be discovered.

The British health department announced on May 18 that two new cases of monkeypox were confirmed. Unlike the first patient confirmed a few days ago, these two patients had not been to Africa. The first confirmed case of monkeypox found on May 7 had flown back to the UK from Nigeria. This means that there may be multiple monkeypox transmission chains in the UK.

Is monkeypox virus infection dangerous to humans?

Incubation period

The incubation period (the time between infection with the virus and the onset of symptoms) for monkeypox ranges from 5 to 21 days, but is usually 6 to 13 days. During this time, the patient has no symptoms.

Onset

In the early stage of the disease (lasting 0-5 days), common symptoms include fever, severe headache, swollen lymph nodes, back pain, muscle aches, fatigue, etc. Swollen lymph nodes are a unique feature of monkeypox compared to smallpox.

The rash usually begins within 1-3 days of the onset of fever and tends to be more concentrated on the face and extremities than on the trunk. The rash can affect the face (95% of cases), palms and soles (75% of cases), oral mucosa (70% of cases), genitals (30% of cases), conjunctiva (20% of cases), and cornea.

The rash progresses from plaques (lesions with a flat base) to papules (firm, slightly raised lesions), to vesicles (lesions filled with clear fluid), to pustules (lesions filled with yellowish fluid), and to dry, flaking crusts. The number of lesions can range from a few to several thousand, and in severe cases the lesions can coalesce until large portions of the skin fall off.

Monkeypox is usually a self-limited illness with symptoms lasting 2 to 4 weeks. Most infected people recover within a few weeks, but some have died from severe illness. Severe cases are more common in children and are related to the degree of virus exposure, the patient's health status and the nature of complications. Underlying immune deficiencies may lead to worse outcomes. Complications of monkeypox include secondary infection, bronchopneumonia, sepsis, encephalitis, and corneal infection leading to vision loss. Monkeypox case fatality rates have historically ranged from 0% to 11% in the general population and are higher in young children. More recently, monkeypox case fatality rates have been around 3%-6%.

How is monkeypox virus spread?

Monkeypox virus is a close relative of the smallpox virus. Although it is called monkeypox virus, it does not only exist in monkeys. It is mainly transmitted to humans through various wild animals such as rodents and primates, and can also be transmitted secondary between humans.

The main mode of transmission of monkeypox virus is through direct contact with blood, body fluids, skin or mucous membrane wounds of infected animals. Transmission between people is mainly caused by close contact with respiratory secretions, skin lesions or objects contaminated by infected people. Monkeypox virus can be present in respiratory droplets, but usually requires prolonged face-to-face contact to be transmitted. Therefore, family members of infected people are at greater risk of infection.

Although close physical contact is a well-known risk factor for transmission, it is currently unknown whether monkeypox can be transmitted specifically via the sexual route.

What can ordinary people do to prevent monkeypox?

According to the WHO, smallpox vaccination is about 85% effective in preventing monkeypox, so previous smallpox vaccination may result in a milder illness, and evidence of previous smallpox vaccination can often be found in scars on the upper arms.

Although vaccination against smallpox has been protective in the past, it is not routinely given because the smallpox virus was eradicated in the 1980s, so people younger than 40 to 50 years old (depending on the country) may be more susceptible to monkeypox.

For the public, prevention of monkeypox infection requires avoiding unprotected contact with wild animals, especially those that are sick or dead (including their meat, blood, and other parts). In addition, all foods containing animal meat or animal parts must be thoroughly cooked before consumption.

At present, scientists are seriously studying and treating new cases of monkeypox. As ordinary individuals, we must take daily protective measures, but there is no need to panic.