WHO emergency committee on mpox to meet”as soon as possible“to assess whether the highest level of alert should be declared in the face of this epidemic.
Here’s an update on the causes, transmission and symptoms of monkeypox and how to treat patients.
What is monkeypox or monkey pox?
It is a rare viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus which belongs to the same family as those of classical human smallpox and cowpox.
The virus, which also affects humans who, if infected, often fall ill, is mainly present in rodents and quite rarely affects monkeys, contrary to what its name indicates.
How does transmission take place?
MPOX is transmitted in different ways:
– From animal to man : in endemic regions, humans become infected by eating the meat of infected animals that is raw or undercooked or by coming into contact with their excrement.
– From man to man : rather rare, this form of transmission is only possible in the event of close contact between individuals through airborne droplets or saliva droplets. It has not yet been confirmed that monkeypox can be spread through semen or vaginal secretions, but it is a possibility that has not been ruled out.
What you need to know is that when you are infected, pustules form on the skin and contain a large amount of virus that can enter the body through the skin lesions.
The virus can thus be transmitted through clothing, sheets, towels or other objects, such as dishes, and smartphones that have been in contact with an infected person.
When infected, pustules form on the skin and contain a large amount of virus Image: Arlette Bashizi /REUTERS
Contamination occurs through the mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth, nose, genitals or anus or through the respiratory tract. Pregnant women can transmit the virus to their fetus through the placenta or through skin contact at the time of delivery or after delivery.
Newborns, children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are at high risk of developing severe disease.
What are the symptoms to watch out for?
The symptoms of mpox are similar to those of human smallpox. These include fever, headache, backache, muscle pain and swollen glands. There are also skin rashes in the form of spots or even pustules, which eventually form a scab that falls off.
Pustules mainly affect the face, palms and soles of the feet and, in some cases, the mouth, genitals, anus and eyes. Symptoms usually appear 5 to 21 days after infection and last two to four weeks.
As long as a person has symptoms, they remain contagious.
How are patients cared for?
Treatment usually begins with isolation once the diagnosis has been made. A quarantine that prevents the patient from contaminating other people. Treatment is often symptomatic, it involves stopping the fever and calming the itching. Antiviral drugs and immunoglobulins are prescribed for the most fragile people.
It is not recommended to scratch the lesions to avoid re-inoculating the virus and it is forbidden to use anti-inflammatories which could cause serious forms.
What is prevention?
Anyone with COPD must wear a surgical mask until they are cured whenever they are in the presence of another person and gloves when touching objects shared with other people. It is also recommended to apply barrier gestures, and in particular hand washing, which must be very frequent.
To prevent MPOX, vaccination is also offered to people with at-risk contacts, as well as to healthcare professionals.
Treatment is often symptomatic and prevention involves vaccination. Image: CHARLES BOUESSEL/AFP
