Mpox or Monkeypox, What Is It

Mpox or Monkeypox, What Is It

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Mpox is an infectious disease that can cause a painful rash, swollen lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, and low energy. Most people recover fully, but some can experience severe disease. The disease is caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), a double-stranded DNA virus from the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae family, which also includes smallpox and cowpox. There are two clades of the virus: clade I (with subclades Ia and Ib) and clade II (with subclades IIa and IIb). The global outbreak of clade IIb began in 2022 and is still ongoing, while clades Ia and Ib are increasing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other African countries, with clade Ib also detected outside Africa until August 2024. The natural reservoir of the virus is unknown, but small mammals such as squirrels and monkeys are considered susceptible.

kadektoto virus was first discovered in Denmark in monkeys in 1958. The first human cases were recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. After smallpox vaccination was stopped in 1980, monkeypox continued to occur in Africa. In 2003, an outbreak in the US was linked to imported wild animals, and since 2005, thousands of cases have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Monkeypox re-emerged in Nigeria in 2017 and spread to travelers.

A major global outbreak occurred in May 2022, spreading rapidly to Europe, the Americas, and the rest of the world, primarily affecting men who have sex with men. In 2022, an outbreak also emerged in a refugee camp in Sudan. Since 2022, cases and deaths have increased in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with a new clade I variant, clade Ib, spreading to other countries. By August 2024, more than 120 countries had reported more than 100,000 confirmed cases and more than 220 deaths.

Reporting from the World Health Organization page, that mpox or monkeypox has several important facts, namely:

1. Causes and Clade: Mpox, previously known as monkeypox. Mpox is caused by the monkeypox virus from the genus Orthopoxvirus. There are two clades of viruses: clade I (subclades Ia and Ib) and clade II (subclades IIa and IIb). The global mpox outbreak in 2022–2023 was caused by the clade IIb strain.

2. Current Serious Health Threat: Mpox remains a health threat with increasing cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries, especially by clades Ia and Ib, which is of concern.

3. Vaccination: There is an mpox vaccine that should be considered along with other public health interventions, as well as possible grouping for potentially larger groups to control the spread of this mpox disease.

4. Symptoms: Mpox has common symptoms in the form of a skin rash or mucosal lesions that last 2-4 weeks. These symptoms can also be accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.

5. Transmission: Mpox can be transmitted in several ways, such as close contact with sufferers, contaminated materials or objects, and infected animals. In addition, mpox can also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or to baby during or after delivery.

6. Treatment: Treatment of mpox focuses on supportive care for symptoms such as pain and fever, with attention to nutrition, hydration, skin care, prevention of secondary infections and treatment of concomitant infections, including HIV if present.

Getting the mpox vaccine is very helpful in preventing infection (pre-exposure prophylaxis). This vaccine is recommended for groups who are at high risk of contracting mpox, especially during an outbreak. The following are some groups that may be at higher risk of contracting mpox:

· Medical personnel or health workers.

· People who live with or are very close to mpox sufferers, including children.

· People who have multiple sexual partners, including men with sexual attraction disorders (men who have sex with men).

· Sex workers of any gender, both workers and clients.

Mpox or monkeypox is a dangerous disease, so it is very important to make efforts to prevent mpox to reduce the spread rate. By not having physical contact with mpox sufferers, not having multiple sexual partners, not having same-sex sexual relations, avoiding animal bites or scratches and always maintaining personal hygiene, and isolating yourself for mpox sufferers, can help prevent the transmission of mpox disease.