[서울=뉴스핌] Correspondent Choi Won-jin = Monkey smallpox, a rare viral infectious disease that mainly occurs in central and western Africa, is showing signs of spreading in Europe, the United States, and Canada.
In recent cases, the route of infection is unclear. Accordingly, overseas experts including the World Health Organization (WHO) are investigating to find out the exact cause of the spread.
| A British man is passing in front of a virus illustration image. 2020.08.03 [사진=로이터 뉴스핌] |
◆ Smallpox-like monkey smallpox…”Infected by touching the collar or having sex”
On the 19th (local time), two cases of smallpox in monkeys were confirmed in Canada. There have been 20 suspected cases of smallpox in Quebec and 17 cases in Montreal.
On the same day, a suspected case was also reported in France.
The previous day, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that a man in Massachusetts had contracted monkey pox. The man, who is currently hospitalized and receiving isolation treatment, said he recently traveled to Canada.
In the UK, there were at least nine cases of smallpox in monkeys from the 6th to the 18th. None of the patients have a history of recent overseas travel, so the route of infection is unknown.
According to the Associated Press, 14 cases were reported in Portugal, 7 in Spain and 1 each in Italy and Sweden. In particular, in Spain, there are 22 more suspected cases of monkey pox infection, so the cumulative number of cases is expected to increase.
Monkey smallpox is a monkey contagious disease caused by the monkey mama virus and can be transmitted to humans. Blisters and rashes appear on the face and body, clinically similar to smallpox.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), monkey smallpox, first reported in 11 countries in central and western Africa in the 1970s, almost disappeared for 40 years, but a large-scale outbreak was reported in Nigeria in 2017.
The first outbreak of monkey pox across the African continent was in the United States in 2003. At that time, the virus was transmitted from a gambian opossum imported from Ghana, Africa to a prairie dog of the squirrel family that was raised as a pet, and the virus was introduced into each household.
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| A man with a bandaged foot is in a wheelchair. The photos have nothing to do with the content of this article. 2022.05.06 [사진=로이터 뉴스핌] |
As such, monkey smallpox can be infected by biting an animal such as a mouse or squirrel infected with the virus, or by touching their blood, body fluid, or fur. Human-to-human transmission is possible, but according to the World Health Organization (WHO), respiratory secretions such as runny nose and saliva can be transmitted by touching the affected areas, such as blisters from infected patients.
Some raise the possibility of infection through sexual intercourse, but the WHO says that there is no scientific basis to make a conclusion yet, and research is needed.
The UK Health and Safety Agency (UKHSA), on the other hand, has a different view. Authorities strongly recommend that men who are gay or bisexual should consult a doctor without delay if they develop an unusual skin rash or blister.
This is because the majority of cases of monkey pox in the UK have been men from homosexual and bisexual communities. The UKHSA warns that even if you do not have close skin-to-skin contact with a monkey pox patient, you can catch it if you touch it, such as clothes.
◆ Long incubation period and 3% fatality rate… There is no cure
There is concern that monkey smallpox may become a new epidemic. The WHO says that although the transmission power is not as strong as the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), one person has spread it to up to nine people.
Above all, it has a long incubation period. The incubation period refers to the period from when the virus is infected to the onset of symptoms. The longer the incubation period, the easier it is to spread because people will continue their daily lives without knowing that they are infected.
The incubation period is usually 6 to 12 days. However, in some cases, the incubation period varies from as short as 5 days to as long as 21 days.
Fortunately, monkey smallpox has milder symptoms than smallpox. It usually recovers within 2-4 weeks and the fatality rate is 3-6%.
There is no specialized treatment. Treatment is all about receiving medication to relieve symptoms while quarantined at the hospital.
Experts say it is not a disease of public concern because there are still few cases of monkey pox. “Historically, monkey smallpox has been a very rare disease,” said Dr Paul Bidinger of Massachusetts General Hospital in the US.
Instead, as it is an infectious disease, it is better to observe your symptoms. Typical symptoms include fever, lymph node swelling, muscle pain, chills, headache, and back pain in addition to skin rashes and blisters.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is advising national health authorities to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease, including early detection of patients and rapid tracing of contacts.
wonjc6@newspim.com