VIVA Lifestyle – Case monkey pox or monkeypox continues to be a serious concern of the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) says there are more than 3,400 confirmed cases of monkeypox with one patient dying. To date, more than 40 non-endemic countries with monkeypox have announced their first cases.
The increasing cases of monkeypox or monkeypox have made the public more aware of the general symptoms of this case. However, recently the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned of unusual symptoms from cases of monkeypox. Quoting from page Live Sciencemonkeypox virus belongs to the same family and genus as the virus that causes smallpox and causes similar, but milder symptoms, according to the CDC.
At the onset of infection, people usually experience fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and fatigue. Then the characteristic rash associated with monkeypox begins to appear. This rash usually progresses through several stages, initially appearing as patches of discolored skin, then bumps, then blisters and finally large, pus-filled spots, and finally, these skin lesions scab and fall off.
Historically, monkeypox rashes tended to appear around the face and in the oral cavity, and could later progress to the extremities, including the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. However, several recent cases of monkeypox in the US have deviated from this pattern, the CDC reports.
Image of monkey smallpox virus through a microscope
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- Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Russell Regner/CDC via AP
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Many of the rashes that occur in AS patients initially appear around the genitals and anus, as well as the tissues that line the mouth. In some patients, this rash causes pain in the anus and rectum, rectal bleeding, painful inflammation of the lining of the rectum (proctitis) and a sensation of having to defecate when the bowel is empty (tenesmus). These symptoms do not fall within the typical description of monkeypox.
In some cases, the patient’s rash has spread or is localized to specific body sites, apart from the face and extremities, the CDC notes. Rashes in different stages of development sometimes appear next to each other on the same body site. And the usual flu-like symptoms of fever, swollen lymph nodes, and fatigue don’t always occur before the rash if it does occur at all.
Similarly strange presentations of monkeypox have been seen in other countries affected by the current outbreak.
“It is now clear that there is an unusual situation, which means that even the virus is behaving in an unusual way from how it usually behaved in the past,” said World Health Organization (WHO) Director General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a briefing.
In general, symptoms of monkeypox infection can resemble those caused by the Varicella zoster virus, which causes chickenpox, and can also look like certain sexually transmitted infections, such as syphilis and herpes, the CDC notes.
If the patient appears to have any of these diseases, the doctor should perform a thorough examination of the skin and mucosal tissues, including the tissues of the anus, vagina and mouth, to rule out monkeypox as a diagnosis.
People who develop potential symptoms of monkeypox should contact their health care provider, especially if they meet the following criteria:
1. Have traveled to countries where cases of monkeypox have been reported
2. Having had recent contact with someone who had a similar rash or received a confirmed or suspected monkeypox diagnosis
3. Having close or intimate direct contact with individuals on social networks who have monkeypox infection.
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Illustration of a human being infected with monkey pox.
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“Anyone, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation, can catch and spread monkeypox. However, in this outbreak, many of the cases reported in the United States were among gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men,” notes the CDC.
For this reason, the health agency has stressed that men who have sex with men should be aware that the virus may spread within their social networks.
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