What is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a disease whose fame seems to have been increasing in recent times. It is closely related to small pox. It is a zoonotic disease and by this I mean it could be transmitted from an animal to human. The virus is classified under family Poxviridae, and in the genus Orthopoxvirus. It appears as a rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appears on the body.
When and where was Monkey pox first found:
In humans;
Monkeypox in 1970 was identified as the cause of a 9-month-old baby's illness in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where smallpox had been eradicated in 1968. This was the first case in humans.
In Nigeria/Africa:
Since 2017, Nigeria has recorded cases with fatality rate of roughly 3%, 500 suspected cases, and over 200 confirmed cases.
In the US:
In 2003, an exposure with a dog with the monkeypox virus led to the first outbreak of the disease outside of Africa, which was in the United States.
How Is Monkeypox gotten/transmitted
Monkey pox can be gotten through close contact with someone or something that's infected. It could be transmitted through contact with;
- an infected animal (recall, it's a zoonotic disease. It could be gotten from a bite, scratch etc),
- the body fluid of an infected person or animal,
- Respiratory droplets,
- The monkeypox injury,
- infected materials etc.
Symptoms of Monkeypox
The Symptoms of monkey pox may include:
- A rash that turns into bumps and maybe becomes crusted afterwards. It may start out in your pubic region, or on genitals or anus. It is not really considered an STI but it can pass on during sex. Accoding to WHO officials, most of the May 2022 cases were sexually transmitted, especially among men who have sex with men.
Other symptoms are:
- Bumps that look like blisters,
- Pus-filled bumps or open sores,
- Fever,
- Fatigue,
- a high temperature
- a headache
- muscle aches
- backache
- swollen glands
- shivering
- exhaustion
- Back pain etc.
Treatments for monkeypox
There is no specific treatment for monkeypox. Go to your doctor, he'd tell you what to do to keep you comfortable and avoid complications. It is however said that people who contacted the disease often recover after a while.
Vaccination
The vaccines against smallpox has been observed to offer some defense against monkey pox. Studies shows that the smallpox vaccine are about 85% effective in preventing monkeypox.
Remark
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