Surabaya – Monkeypox, although rarely heard of, is a disease that deserves serious attention. This disease is caused by a virus that has symptoms similar to chicken pox, but can be more severe.
Knowing what monkeypox is, its causes and the symptoms that appear can be an important step in understanding this disease. Don’t forget, knowing treatment options can also be a determining factor in effective treatment.
Understanding Monkeypox
Reported on the Ministry of Health website, monkeypox or monkey pox is a disease caused by the monkeypox virus. A zoonotic viral infection caused by a virus in the smallpox family, which can spread from animals to humans and spread between humans.
The monkey pox virus can be transmitted through physical touch with the sufferer. This disease was first discovered in Denmark in 1958. The first human case was reported in 1970 in Congo, Central Africa.
Causes of Monkeypox
According to the official website of the Central Sulawesi Service, the monkeypox virus is included in the orthopoxvirus group, initially transmitted from animals to humans through bites or scratches from animals such as squirrels, monkeys or mice.
Direct contact with infected animal fluids can also cause the monkeypox virus to spread. Monkey pox spreads through saliva splashes that enter the mouth, nose, eyes, or wounds on the skin.
Transmission can also occur through contaminated objects, such as the patient’s clothing. However, transmission between humans requires prolonged contact. Symptoms of monkey pox can last for one to three days.
After that, the rash will appear on the face, then spread to other parts of the body, such as the arms or legs. This rash is formed from fluid containing pus, then breaks and crusts causing ulcers on the surface of the skin.
Symptoms of Monkeypox
As reported by Hermina Hospitals, symptoms of monkey pox will appear 5-21 days after the sufferer is infected with the monkeypox virus. The initial symptoms of monkey pox are as follows.
- Fever, chills
- Tired or weak
- Headache
- Muscle ache
- Swollen lymph nodes, characterized by lumps in the neck, armpits or groin
After the initial symptoms appear, there will be a rash or red spots on the skin that turn into pustules, watery patches, and scabs. These symptoms usually last for two to four weeks.
When all the scabs have fallen off, the sufferer has entered the healing phase. This phase is also a phase for preventing transmission of the disease to other people.
Monkeypox treatment
Until now, there is no specific medicine for monkey pox. Treatment is intended to reduce and relieve symptoms. Monkey pox can be prevented with a smallpox vaccine, which is not yet generally available.
Instead, the disease usually resolves itself within two to four weeks. Antiviral drugs such as brincidofovir and tecovirimat are used to treat monkeypox in some countries.
There is little information about the effectiveness of these drugs. Please remember, people who suffer from monkey pox must receive treatment in an isolation room so that they can be monitored by doctors and prevent the spread of the disease.
Watch the video “Monkey Pox Adds 3 Cases, Appears in Depok-Cirebon”
(irb/sun)
2024-01-04 07:08:50
#Monkeypox #Symptoms #Treatment
