What is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox, also known as monkeypox, is a disease that’s caused by infection with the monkeypox virus (MPXV). The virus causes pox-like skin lesions in people. It’s considered rare, but it does occur from time to time in Africa and parts of Asia. In 2014, an outbreak of the disease in the United States first raised awareness about this illness here in North America. Read on to learn more about monkeypox and how it affects humans and other animals.
What it looks like
The virus starts by causing small bumps to appear on or around a person’s face. Over time, these bumps will turn into fluid-filled pimples called vesicles. The most common location for these lesions is around a person’s mouth and nose, but they can also appear on a person’s limbs and buttocks. Lesions typically take two to three weeks to fully develop. Once they have formed, they are usually itchy and painful. After another two weeks, scabs begin to form over each lesion as it dries out and falls off of a person’s body. It takes about 10 days for all of the lesions to be completely gone from a person’s body. In some cases, however, some may remain under a person's fingernails or in their hair follicles long after others have disappeared from their skin surface.
How it spreads
Like humans, monkeys are susceptible to several mosquito-borne viruses. This means that mosquitoes that bite an infected monkey can transmit viral particles to other primates, including humans. The virus may also be transmitted via direct contact with infected bodily fluids or by touching objects contaminated with these fluids. Though there’s no conclusive evidence yet, experts suspect that people might become ill from eating improperly cooked meat from an infected animal or inhaling vaporized viral particles that are expelled through an infected animal’s mouth and nose. Humans have contracted the infection through both routes in at least one reported case.
Treatment
There are currently no medications or vaccines against monkeypox, but they are being developed. However, most physicians have little to offer patients except supportive care and relief of symptoms. There is no specific treatment for monkeypox. Treatment consists mostly of relieving symptoms as they appear. Bed rest may be necessary for some patients with severe muscle pain, headaches, fever, or fatigue; also because untreated monkeypox can lead to complications that may require hospitalization such as pneumonia or bleeding disorders. Painkillers like acetaminophen (paracetamol) may be used for fever and headaches, but aspirin should not be given because it increases bleeding time in humans who have been infected with RPAV1.
Vaccination
If you're traveling to a country where monkeypox has been reported, your doctor will likely recommend getting vaccinated. There are two types of vaccines that protect against monkeypox: The injectable vaccine is given as an injection in your upper arm and provides full protection for at least four years; The second vaccine is a topical ointment that's applied to your skin and wears off after about six months. Both vaccines may cause mild side effects including redness or tenderness at the injection site, headache, fever, muscle aches, and fatigue. If you become infected with monkeypox, most people fully recover within three weeks. Most cases of monkeypox aren't serious enough to require treatment — only 1 in 5 people who contract it need hospitalization.
Preventing Monkeypox: Tips to Keep You Safe
Monkeypox may not be as well-known as Ebola, but it can be just as deadly. What exactly is monkeypox? And how can you avoid it? Whether you’re on the African continent or in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges people to take action to prevent this disease from spreading further. Read on to learn more about what monkeypox is and how you can avoid being infected with it. You’ll also find helpful tips to help protect your loved ones, friends, and neighbors who might be at risk of a monkeypox infection.
Educate Yourself
If you’re currently feeling healthy, read up on monkeypox, its symptoms, and how it spreads. Better yet, check out a few first-hand accounts of what people go through when they’re infected with monkeypox. The more familiar you are with your foe, the less likely you are to get bit. When it comes to public health threats, knowledge is power. Get informed by contacting your doctor or checking out sites like cdc.gov/monkeypox.
Stay Current on News
With a disease like a monkeypox, you must stay up-to-date on news about it. As of May 2008, there were only 15 cases of monkeypox in people and all had occurred in laboratories; still, it's wise to be aware of outbreaks. The CDC keeps a full list of human monkeypox cases here. Most human cases have occurred among laboratory workers who have been exposed to animals infected with monkey infection or who received organs from infected animals for transplantation. However, one outbreak in 2003 was believed transmitted between humans without any animal involvement. In 2007, an outbreak began among residents of Ibadan village in Kibale National Park near Queen Elizabeth National Park and spread quickly along trade routes between Uganda and Rwanda, and Burundi.
Wash Your Hands Frequently
The CDC recommends washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Both should be used frequently throughout your day. As soon as you get out of bed, wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer, especially if you are sick. This will help prevent diseases such as monkeypox from spreading quickly.
Get Vaccinated
There is no specific treatment for monkeypox, but you can help reduce your chances of contracting it by getting vaccinated against more common diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says most people who get vaccinated will develop immunity in about two weeks. It’s important to stay on top of your shots because outbreaks have occurred when there has been a lack of immunization. If you travel abroad, make sure you have been properly immunized and review CDC’s vaccination guidelines. Find out if you need vaccinations that are unique to certain countries before heading abroad, as well as what treatments are needed after exposure or if you become ill while away from home.
Practice Good Hygiene
The only way to avoid catching something like monkeypox is by practicing good hygiene. If you live in an area where monkeypox has been reported, it’s a good idea to carry hand sanitizer. That’s because living with even one person who has contracted something like monkeypox can expose you, too. It only takes a few seconds of close contact for transmission of things like monkeypox or other infections and germs (known as pathogens) such as tuberculosis, salmonella, and staphylococcus aureus. So it makes sense that keeping your hands clean is one of the most effective ways not just to prevent transmission but also to combat those organisms already inside your body that can cause illness or sickness.
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