The northeastern US state of Massachusetts reported a rare case of monkeypox in a man who recently traveled to Canada on Wednesday, and health officials are investigating whether it is linked to small outbreaks in Europe.
Monkeypox is generally limited to Africa, and rare cases in the US and elsewhere are usually related to travel there. A small number of confirmed or suspected cases have been reported this month from the UK, Portugal and Spain.
US health officials said they are in contact with UK and Canadian officials as part of the investigation. But “at this time, we don’t have any information linking the Massachusetts case to cases in the UK,” said Jennifer McQuiston of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Although it is the only US case that the CDC is aware of, “I think we are preparing for the possibility of more cases,” he said.
The US case poses no risk to the public and the Massachusetts resident is hospitalized but in fair condition, officials said.
The man traveled to Canada in late April to meet friends and returned in early May, McQuiston said. A CDC release said he used private transportation.
The case is the first in the United States this year. Last year, Texas and Maryland each reported one case in people who traveled to Nigeria.
Monkeypox usually begins with a flu-like illness and swollen lymph nodes, followed by a rash on the face and body. In Africa, people have become infected through bites from rodents or small animals, and it usually does not spread easily from person to person.
However, researchers in Europe say the majority of cases have been in gay or bisexual men, and authorities are investigating the possibility that some infections may have spread through close contact during sex.
Monkeypox comes from the same family of viruses as smallpox. Most people recover from monkeypox within weeks, but the disease is fatal to up to 1 in 10 people, according to the World Health Organization.
[Con información de The Associated Press]
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