Monkeypox is a viral disease (similar to chickenpox). It was first discovered in 1958 and the first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970. The majority of the monkeypox cases are from central or west Africa. The risk of death in monkeypox cases is up to 10%.
Following is the image of the hand of a person suffering from monkeypox.
Causes
Monkeypox is caused by the monkeypox virus. The monkeypox virus belongs to the orthopoxvirus group of viruses.
Monkeypox may be spread from an animal bite or scratch, body fluids, contaminated objects or contact with an infected person. It can also be spread from handling bushmeat. [ Wikipedia ]
Diagnosis
There are several ways to diagnose the monkeypox virus. According to WHO, the Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the preferred test. Monkeypox can also be diagnosed by immunohistochemistry or electron microscopy.
Symptoms
Symptoms of human monkeypox include muscles aches, fever, back pain and chills in the starting, and after some times rashes develop all over the body. It can last from 2 weeks to 5 weeks
Prevention
Stay away from an infected person. Wash your hands thoroughly after contact with an infected animal or human. Isolate the infected person and Avoid contact with sick animals. [ CDC ]
Treatment
There is no treatment or cure although the smallpox vaccine can be useful. Cidofovir, brincidofovir and vaccinia immune globulin can also be useful.
Outbreaks
One of the earliest outbreaks of the monkeypox virus took place at the beginning of May 2003 in the United States of America (USA). Total 71 cases were reported in the outbreak of 2003.
In 2018, 1 case in Israel and 3 cases in the United Kingdom were reported. In 2019, 1 case was reported in Singapore and In 2021, 1 case in the United States of America (USA) and 3 cases in the United Kingdom were reported.
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