A New Global Health Emergency: Monkeypox
Written by Aanya Deshpande
As I was scrolling through the latest news stories, I came across some alarming articles about public health. On August 14th, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared monkeypox (Mpox) a public health emergency of international concern. This declaration was a response to an outbreak of Mpox originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which spread to other African countries. Sweden also announced the first case of clade I, a Mpox branch, outside of Africa on August 15th. Doctors are now worried that the virus will spread internationally.
A similar outbreak occurred in 2022, and mpox triggered outbreaks in over 70 countries, including the U.S. During the prior outbreak about 25% of the affected population did not have vaccines. Mpox is commonly spread through direct skin contact. Scientists and doctors express that vaccinations are the best way to prevent catching Mpox. African nations are having the most Mpox outbreaks because treatments and vaccinations are not highly accessible. Experts advise not to physically interact with skin lesions similar to Mpox.
There are 2 types of mpox clades; clade I and II. Both types cause symptoms such as chills, fevers, exhaustion, and lesions. However, in endemic areas, such as Africa, a rash starts at the primary infection point and spreads to the rest of the body. The lesions can range from a few to a couple thousand. The higher amount of lesions, the higher the severity of Mpox.
There is no proven treatment for Mpox. However, it is a self-limited disease, which means it usually goes away on its own. Doctors may prescribe cidofovir or tecovirimat if a patient feels extra sick, but scientists still need to learn more about the medicines, and how they can affect mpox.
Overall, Mpoxcan be a very dangerous disease, and experts do not know whether or not the virus will spread any further than in African countries. Mpox can cause lesions, fevers, and aching muscles at first. In more severe cases, it causes harmful rashes. However, the disease does subside over time because it is self-limited.
References
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/mpox-virus-outbreak-symptoms-2024-spread-rcn a166778
https://apnews.com/article/mpox-covid-who-pandemic-59548adbbd58df7e5d176fc244e02a58
https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/as-monkeypox-spreads-health-experts-urge-public-to get-vaccinated/
Written by Aanya Deshpande from MEDILOQUY