Week 1: Definition - What you should know about Monkeypox

Key facts

• The monkeypox virus can cause a fatal disease in humans; it is similar to human smallpox, although typically much less serious.
• Monkeypox occurs primarily in remote villages in Central and West Africa, near tropical rainforests.
• The monkeypox virus is transmitted to people from a variety of wild animals and it spreads in human population through human-to-human transmission.
• There is no treatment or vaccine available although smallpox vaccination has proven to be 85% effective in preventing monkeypox.

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Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis with symptoms in humans similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients. However, smallpox no longer occurs, following its worldwide eradication in 1980, whereas monkeypox still occurs sporadically in parts of Africa.
Monkeypox is a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae.
The virus was first identified in the State Serum Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1958 during an investigation into a pox-like disease among monkeys.

"Monkeypox"- The horrors behind the deathly disease

Outbreaks

Human monkeypox was first identified in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since then, the majority of cases have been reported in rural regions of the Congo Basin and western Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 1996-97, a major outbreak occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In the spring of 2003, monkeypox cases were confirmed in the Midwest of the United States of America, marking the first reported occurrence of the disease outside of the African continent. More recently, monkeypox has been reported in Unity, Sudan.

Modes of Transmission:
Transmission is believed to occur from an infected animal through a bite or via direct contact with saliva, respiratory excretions, lesion exudate or crust material. Abrasions in the mouth of individuals eating infected monkeys or squirrels also represent a route of transmission, and viral shedding via animal feces may represent another exposure source.
Even though human-to-human transmission of monkeypox is not so efficient, it did occur in up to 11.7% of household contacts of patients without prior smallpox vaccination. Primary routes are through direct contact and via respiratory droplet spread. Theoretical risk for airborne transmission is also present.

References:
Monkeypox. (2011, February 1). Retrieved March 30, 2015, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs161/en/
 Updated Interim Infection Control and Exposure Management Guidance in the Health-Care and Community Setting for Patients with Possible Monkeypox Virus Infection. (2008, September 5). Retrieved March 31, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/monkeypox/infectioncontrol.htm