Text / Zhang Wenhui
Monkeypox is a rare disease outside of Central and West African countries, however recently cases have been reported in the UK, Spain, Portugal, the US, Sweden, Italy and Canada.
According to the official website of the United Nations on the 22nd, the World Health Organization said that since May 13, 12 countries around the world where the monkeypox virus is not endemic have reported 92 confirmed cases and 28 suspected cases.
On the 21st local time, the WHO pointed out: "Existing information shows that human-to-human transmission is occurring in people who have had close physical contact with symptomatic cases."
Claire Dawsnapp, chairman of the British Sexual Health and AIDS Association, said in an interview with foreign media on the 22nd: "In the next two to three weeks, the number of confirmed cases may be very high."
Where does monkeypox virus come from?
How can we properly prevent it?
The real source of monkeypox virus is not monkeys
The monkeypox virus is a close relative of the smallpox virus, and both are orthopoxviruses.
In 1980, WHO declared that the world had eradicated smallpox, and monkeypox was considered to be the most important orthopoxvirus infection in humans since the eradication of smallpox.
Before the current outbreak, monkeypox cases were scattered in tropical rainforests in central and western Africa.
The initial symptoms of monkeypox infection in humans include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, and swollen lymph nodes, which can later develop into a widespread rash on the face and body.
Most infected people recover within a few weeks, but others become seriously ill and even die.
So, is the "monkeypox" virus brought by monkeys?
According to an article published on the 21st by the "Huashan Infection" public account of the National Center for Infectious Diseases Medicine and the Department of Infectious Diseases of Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, the name of the "monkeypox" virus comes from monkeys, but the real source of monkeypox virus is not monkeys.
In nature, many animal species have been found to be infected with monkeypox virus.
Some evidence suggests that African native rodents, such as the Gambian giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus) and squirrels, may be reservoir hosts for the virus.
Spread sexually?
Monkeypox, a zoonotic disease, is mainly transmitted to humans through the skin, respiratory tract, or wounds around the eyes or mucous membranes of the nose and mouth of infected animals.
The disease can also be contracted by eating undercooked meat from infected animals.
In general, human-to-human transmission of monkeypox virus is uncommon.
The "Huashan Infection" official account of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University pointed out in the article that when it does occur, it is mainly transmitted through droplets, which can infect the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat, and studies have shown that long-term face-to-face contact is required to spread.
For example, within a radius of 2 meters for more than 3 hours without personal protective equipment.
But it can also be spread through contact with lesions or bodily fluids, or through contact with clothing or linen contaminated with pus or other damaging substances.
The World Health Organization believes that the recent monkeypox cases in many European countries are "atypical". Only a very small number of cases have travel history to monkeypox-risk areas, and many infected people have been diagnosed by STD clinics.
WHO official David Heyman said the monkeypox virus now "appears to be spreading sexually, which is expanding its global contagion".
To date, all cases in which samples have been confirmed by PCR have been identified as having been infected with the West African clade of the virus.
Genome sequences of swab samples from confirmed cases in Portugal suggest that the monkeypox virus responsible for the current outbreak closely matches cases exported from Nigeria to the UK, Israel and Singapore in 2018 and 2019.
How to prevent?
According to WHO, the European monkeypox outbreak is unlikely to develop into a global epidemic.
The group will provide guidance on preventing the spread of monkeypox in the coming days.
In terms of preventive measures, because monkeypox virus and smallpox virus belong to the same virus family, the effectiveness of smallpox vaccine against monkeypox virus is as high as 85%.
In addition, common household disinfectants can also kill monkeypox viruses.
WHO recommends that any illness during travel to, or upon return from, endemic areas should be reported to health professionals.
In addition, an article on the official account "Huashan Infection" of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University also emphasized that residents and travelers to endemic countries should avoid contact with sick animals (dead or live) (rodents, marsupials, primates) and should avoid eating or handling wild game (bush meat).
The importance of hand hygiene with soap and water or alcohol-based sanitizer should be emphasized.