Transmission and Prevention of Monkeypox Disease

Monkeypox (Mpox) or also known as monkeypox is a disease caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the Orthopoxvirus genus. This virus was first identified in laboratory monkeys in 1958, and the first case in humans was found in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This disease is a type of disease that is transmitted from animals to humans and can spread from human to human. Mpox is an infectious disease that can cause a painful rash, swollen lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, and low energy.

How Monkeypox is Transmitted:

The transmission of the monkeypox virus is through infected animals, especially monkeys and rodents, such as rats and squirrels. In addition, monkeypox is mostly also transmitted through close skin-to-skin contact with people who have lesions. The incubation period of the virus (the time from infection to the onset of symptoms) for Mpox is usually 6-16 days, or can range from 5-21 days.

Transmission of this disease is:

• Direct contact due to scratches and bites of infected animals.
• Direct contact with body fluids or lesion material, and indirect contact with lesion material.
• Eating meat from infected wild animals.
• Contaminated objects.
• The virus enters the body through open wounds, the respiratory tract, or mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Incubation period before symptoms appear:

The incubation period is the period of time between exposure to the risk of transmission of Mpox disease and the appearance of the first symptoms. The incubation period for monkeypox usually lasts between 5 and 21 days, with an average of 6 to 13 days. After the incubation period, early symptoms begin to appear.

Symptoms:

• Symptoms of Mpox usually last for 2 to 4 weeks and include:
• Fever (early symptoms)
• Severe headache
• Muscle pain
• Extreme fatigue
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Skin rash that appears within 1-3 days after the fever.

How to avoid the threat of monkeypox disease:

• Limit contact with suspected or confirmed people with mpox
• Limit contact with animals that are at risk of transmitting
• Clean and disinfect environments that could be contaminated regularly
• Check yourself and your close contacts if you experience symptoms of mpox.
• Isolation is carried out until all skin rashes are dry, peeling and a new layer of skin forms

Then what about people who are already infected?
What should be done to avoid infecting others or family?

To prevent the spread of mpox to others, mpox sufferers must isolate themselves at home following the instructions of a doctor or health care provider, or in a hospital if necessary, during the period of transmission (from the onset of symptoms until the lesions heal and scabs fall off).

Here are things that can be done to help relieve symptoms and prevent transmission of mpox to others:

• Stay at home and in your own well-ventilated room if possible;
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or hand sanitizer, especially before or after touching wounds;
• Wear a mask and cover sores when around others until your rash heals;
• Keep your skin dry and uncovered (unless you are in the same room as other people);
• Avoid touching items in shared spaces and disinfect shared spaces frequently;
• Use salt water mouthwash for sores in your mouth;
• Take a warm bath with baking soda or Epsom salts for sores on your body

Remember, for people with this illness, avoid popping blisters or scratching sores, which can slow healing, spread the rash to other parts of your body, and cause sores to become infected.

References:

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/monkeypox
https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/index.html
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/monkeypox
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/infectious-diseases/expert-answers/monkeypox-faq/faq-20533608