The monkeypox virus: origin, symptoms and vaccine
The story so far: With cases being reported from across the world, monkeypox has caught everyone’s attention. The present outbreak has a toll of over 220 confirmed cases spread across 19 countries. U.K., Spain, and Portugal are leading the pack with the highest number of confirmed cases but no deaths reported till date.
The present outbreak has been interesting in many ways. While sporadic outbreaks have occurred in Africa and outside in regions that had recorded travel from areas where outbreaks have occurred, such massive flare-ups spanning multiple countries simultaneously have not happened before. Additionally, many of the affected patients did not travel to regions where the disease is considered prevalent and the initial cases were largely, but not exclusively among young individuals who identify themselves as men who have sex with men (MSM).
THE GIST
Monkeypox belongs to the poxvirus family of viruses and was first identified in monkeys way back in 1958. The present outbreak has a toll of over 220 confirmed cases spread across 19 countries.
A number of genome sequences in recent years from Africa and across the world suggest that there are two distinct clades of the virus — the Congo Basin/Central African clade and the West African clade.
The smallpox/vaccinia vaccine provides protection against the virus. While the vaccine has been discontinued in 1980 following the eradication of smallpox, emergency stockpiles of the vaccines are maintained by many countries.
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SCI-TECHHEALTH
EXPLAINED HEALTH
The monkeypox virus: origin, symptoms and vaccine
The present outbreak has been interesting in many ways. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
Afra Shamnath
Vinod Scaria
MAY 26, 2022 10:30 IST
UPDATED: MAY 29, 2022 11:29 IST
How did monkeypox spread? What are the observations from genome sequencing?
The story so far: With cases being reported from across the world, monkeypox has caught everyone’s attention. The present outbreak has a toll of over 220 confirmed cases spread across 19 countries. U.K., Spain, and Portugal are leading the pack with the highest number of confirmed cases but no deaths reported till date.
The present outbreak has been interesting in many ways. While sporadic outbreaks have occurred in Africa and outside in regions that had recorded travel from areas where outbreaks have occurred, such massive flare-ups spanning multiple countries simultaneously have not happened before. Additionally, many of the affected patients did not travel to regions where the disease is considered prevalent and the initial cases were largely, but not exclusively among young individuals who identify themselves as men who have sex with men (MSM).
THE GIST
Monkeypox belongs to the poxvirus family of viruses and was first identified in monkeys way back in 1958. The present outbreak has a toll of over 220 confirmed cases spread across 19 countries.
A number of genome sequences in recent years from Africa and across the world suggest that there are two distinct clades of the virus — the Congo Basin/Central African clade and the West African clade.
The smallpox/vaccinia vaccine provides protection against the virus. While the vaccine has been discontinued in 1980 following the eradication of smallpox, emergency stockpiles of the vaccines are maintained by many countries.
What is the monkeypox virus?
Monkeypox is not a new virus. The virus, belonging to the poxvirus family of viruses, was first identified in monkeys way back in 1958, and therefore the name. The first human case was described in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and many sporadic outbreaks of animal-to-human, as well as human-to-human transmission, have occurred in Central and West Africa in the past with significant mortality. After the elimination of smallpox, monkeypox has become one of the dominant poxviruses in humans, with cases increasing over years along with a consequent reduction in the age group affected. Since the transmission occurs only with close contact, the outbreaks have been in many cases self-limiting. Since in the majority of affected people, the incubation period ranges from five to 21 days and is often mild or self-limiting, asymptomatic cases could transmit the disease unknowingly. The outbreaks in Central Africa are thought to have been contributed by close contact with animals in regions adjoining forests. While monkeys are possibly only incidental hosts, the reservoir is not known. It is believed that rodents and non-human primates could be potential reservoirs.
