The Mpox (Monkeypox) virus is a viral zoonotic disease belonging to the orthopoxvirus genus. It spreads from person to person and sometimes from surfaces touched by infected people.
The disease is called monkeypox because it was first found in monkey colonies in 1958 and later detected in humans in 1970.
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Monkeypox causes pustules all over the body. The symptoms appear between 5 and 13 days after infection, and they may take up to 21 days to appear. Early symptoms include:
Once the fever breaks, a rash appears on the face and spreads throughout the body, most commonly on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
Lesions might be flat or slightly raised, filled with clear or yellowish fluid, crusted, dried up, and fall off. A person can have a few to thousands of lesions. They can also appear on the mouth, eyes, and genitals.
Contact the doctor if you think you have symptoms that could be caused by monkeypox. Inform them if you have had close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with monkeypox.
How Does Monkeypox Spread?
Monkeypox spreads from person to person through close contact, like touching or being near someone with the virus.
It can also spread indirectly from contaminated surfaces or objects touched by an infected person.
To stop it from spreading, stay away from people who have it and wash your hands a lot.
Treatment For Monkeypox
Monkeypox symptoms can go away without any treatment. However, the smallpox vaccine, antivirals, and vaccinia immune globulin (VIG) can be recommended for controlling a monkeypox outbreak.
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Here are some precautions to prevent the infection with monkey viruses:
Avoid contact with infected animals
Isolate infected patients.
Let the rashes dry, or cover it with a moist dressing.
Avoid touching sores
Use cortisone-free mouth rinse and eye drops.
When treating a patient, health workers should wear personal protection equipment (PPE).
Some Facts About Monkeypox
Monkeypox is similar to smallpox, and its vaccination has previously been found to be 85% effective in preventing monkeypox.
Symptoms can go away on their own, but in some cases, monkeypox can lead to medical complications and even death.
The virus can spread between humans through bodily fluids, sexual contact, and respiratory droplets.
Children are more prone to have severe symptoms than adults.
The symptoms are most likely to appear after the end of the incubation period (6 to 13 days to 5 to 21 days).
With a fatality rate of 1-10%, people are able to recover in 2-4 weeks fully.
The virus can be transmitted from a pregnant woman to the foetus or from an infected parent to a baby during or after delivery by skin-to-skin contact.
Clothing, beds, towels, or any objects that have come into contact with an infected person can also infect others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Monkeypox (Mpox) can be passed to people by touching someone with the virus, contaminated items, or infected animals.
To avoid monkeypox, do not touch clothes, sheets, or items touched by an infected person or animal. Keep sick individuals away from healthy ones. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after touching someone or something that might
be infected.
The death rate of monkeypox is relatively low, typically ranging from 1% to 10%.
Monkeypox symptoms usually last for 2 to 4 weeks, with recovery depending on the severity of the illness and the person's overall health.
It is possible to get monkeypox more than once, but repeat infections are rare.
Monkeypox is related to smallpox but is less severe. Both are caused by similar viruses.
Some people may experience scarring from the rash or complications like arthritis, but most recover fully.
Monkeypox is primarily spread through wild animals and not typically transmitted by household pets.