Thursday 19.5.2022
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Last update – 20:39
The so-called “monkey pox” is endemic in West and Central Africa and, although it has generated an outbreak outside the African continent, it had not previously circulated in Europe.
Most infections have been found in young men who have had sex with other men, although the virus affects men and women equally. From what is known, it is not, in principle, a sexually transmitted disease and, in fact, the use of condoms does not protect, said Dr. Natalia Rodríguez-Valero, a doctor at the International Health Service of the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona and a researcher at ISGlobal.
The contagion is produced by contact with the skin of an affected person or with the mucous membranes. This contact must be intimate and prolonged. Although monkeypox is not excessively contagious and is not usually dangerous for those who contract it, health authorities have preferred to take precautions.
According to the Science Media Center Spain institution (dependent on the Ministry of Science) on its website, “human-to-human transmission is limited and requires close contact, either with respiratory secretions or skin lesions, a contaminated object or face-to-face contact. allowing infection from respiratory particles. The longest documented chain of transmission is 6 people. If you live with an affected person, you should not share a glass, cutlery, or towels, for example.
The World Health Organization (WHO) points out that close contact with other patients is the most important risk factor for infection. “In the absence of a specific treatment or vaccine (although antivirals are prescribed), the only way to reduce infection in people is to make them aware of the risk factors and educate them regarding the measures they can take to reduce exposure to the virus. ”, indicates the WHO.
In addition, it emphasizes the fundamental aspects to avoid contagion:
1-It is important to reduce the risk of transmission from animals to people. It is necessary to avoid any contact with rodents and primates and, secondly, to limit direct exposure to blood and meat, and to cook them thoroughly before consumption. Gloves and other appropriate protective clothing should be worn during handling of sick animals or their infected tissues, and during slaughter procedures.
2-We must ensure that the risk of transmission from person to person is reduced. Close physical contact with people infected with monkeypox virus should be avoided. To assist the sick, gloves and protective equipment should be used. Hands should be washed systematically following caring for a sick person. It is recommended to isolate patients at home or in health centers.
3-Experts emphasize that those who have not done so should seriously consider the convenience of being vaccinated once morest smallpox. But they indicate that the old smallpox vaccine should not be given to people who are immunosuppressed.
4-Health personnel who care for infected patients or who handle samples obtained from them must observe ordinary precautions for infection control.
The WHO announced last Tuesday that it wants to clarify, with the help of the United Kingdom, the cases of monkeypox detected since the beginning of May, especially among the homosexual community. The authorities of Spain and Portugal – the latter country where 5 cases were also identified and another 20 are under study – activated a national health alert, this rare disease is not very contagious among humans, has no treatment and generally heals itself.
The UK has identified seven cases since May 6, including four in people who identify as “gay, bisexual or men who have sex with men,” according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). With the exception of the first case – the infected person had recently traveled to Nigeria – the patients were infected in the UK, raising fears of community transmission.
