EBN- The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak of moxazole, or monkeypox, a global health emergency, the highest level of alert under international health law. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared the situation a public health emergency.
What is Monkey Pox ? How can it be prevented? How is it transmitted? What are the symptoms of monkey pox? Many questions and more, you will find answers to them in the following topic:
What is monkeypox?
According to the World Health Organization, monkeypox is a viral disease that belongs to the same family as the virus that causes smallpox , but is less severe. This virus is usually transmitted from animals to humans, and it can also be transmitted from person to person; this is where its danger and rapid spread lie.
In 1980, smallpox was eradicated and vaccines were available that achieved a high degree of protection, but monkeypox still occurs in countries in Central and West Africa. Then, talk of monkeypox has increased again since May 2022, after the emergence of new cases.
Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease; therefore, cases are often found near tropical forests where animals carrying the virus are found. As previously mentioned, it can be transmitted between humans through contact with body fluids, wounds on the skin or on internal mucosal surfaces, such as the mouth or throat, or respiratory droplets .
Transition from animal to human
The virus can be transmitted from infected animals to humans through direct contact with the blood, body fluids, or broken skin of infected animals. Exposure to respiratory secretions or animal feces may also contribute to transmission of the virus.
The animals most likely to transmit the virus include rodents such as mice and squirrels, as well as monkeys.
Transmission from an infected person
Monkeypox is transmitted from an infected person to a healthy person, through respiratory droplets, or direct contact with the blistered skin or body fluids of an infected person.
Is monkeypox fatal?
Monkeypox is not considered a fatal disease, especially in developed countries with good health conditions. However, it can cause serious complications in some cases, especially in people with weak immune systems or chronic diseases .
In most cases, monkeypox is a mild disease that goes away on its own within a few weeks, but the patient may suffer from some complications such as:
secondary bacterial infection
encephalitis
Pneumonia.
monkeypox vaccine
Disease prevention
Vaccination is the best way to prevent monkeypox, as it greatly reduces the risk of contracting the disease.
Relieve symptoms
If the disease occurs after vaccination, the symptoms are usually less severe and the duration of the illness is shorter.
