Is the new case of the Monkeypox virus worth concerning?

Aqsa, Jamia Millia Islamia

Years after the 2003 United States outbreak of the Monkeypox virus, a new case has been reported recently. The infected person is a Texas resident who recently traveled from Africa. This patient took two flights during their return from Africa to the U.S. in early July, according to a CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention) press release: one from Lagos, Nigeria, to Atlanta, and one from Atlanta to Dallas. The patient developed a rash in Nigeria, but it worsened after the person returned to Dallas. When he went to the hospital, he developed characteristic symptoms like rashes on his face and elsewhere on the body.

CDC with Delta Air Lines and state and local health officials are now working to contact passengers who may have been in contact with the patient during two flights.

What is the Monkeypox Virus?

Monkeypox virus is a double-stranded DNA virus. It belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. It is very similar to smallpox but is less infectious and causes lower deaths when compared to it. Monkey virus is a rare but serious viral illness that occurs mainly in the rainforest countries of Central and West Africa. The causative agent is the monkeypox virus. The infection may last for 2-4 weeks.

How does the Monkeypox virus Spread:

The Monkeypox virus is very similar to smallpox but is less infectious when compared to it. It can spread to humans from an infected animal when scratched or bitten by it or direct contact with the animal’s lesions or body fluids. It can also spread from person to person through large droplets. In addition, it may spread by direct contact with the body fluids of an infected person or with virus-contaminated objects, such as bedding or clothing. It was first identified as laboratory monkeys in 1958. The virus was also isolated from an African tree squirrel, which may be the natural host. Monkeypox also could infect mice, rats, and rabbits. In 1970, the first human case was reported.

Symptoms:

The symptoms include:-

• Enlargement of lymph nodes
• Fever
• Headache
• muscle aches
• backache
• A feeling of discomfort and exhaustion
•  the patient develops a papular rash after a fever

Some previous outbreaks of the disease::

1. 2003 U.S. Outbreak – This outbreak took place in the year 2003 with 47 confirmed cases. The cause of this outbreak was identified as a shipment of animals from Ghana to Texas. This shipment introduced the monkeypox virus from West African to the United States. The people who purchased these animals as pets became infected with the monkeypox virus. Patients were reported to have symptoms like – fever, headache, muscle aches, and rash. The vaccine against the virus was the smallpox vaccine.
2. 2017-19 Nigeria Outbreak – Monkeypox spread around the southeast and southern Nigeria during 2017-19. This outbreak spread across multiple states of Nigeria.
3. 2018 – U.K. cases – In September 2018, the first case of the monkeypox virus was recorded. The infected person was a Nigerian national who got the infection from Nigeria before traveling to the United Kingdom. Few cases were reported later that year from the people who came in contact with the Nigerian national.
4. 2019 Singapore Case – The country’s first case came on 8 May 2019. The patient was a 38-year-old man who traveled from Nigeria and was hospitalized in Singapore. As a result, 22 people who came in contact with the infected person were quarantined.

Also read: New bioluminescent tool to quantify disease resistance in plants

References:

• “Texas Resident Hospitalized with Rare Monkeypox Diagnosis 18 Years after Outbreak in US.” USA TODAY, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/07/16/first-u-s-case-of-human-monkeypox-18-years-found-in-texan/7998388002/
• 2003 United States Outbreak of Monkeypox | Monkeypox | Poxvirus | CDC. 19 Dec. 2018, https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/outbreak.html

• The Corrosion Prediction from the Corrosion Product Performance
• Nitrogen Resilience in Waterlogged Soybean plants
• Cell Senescence in Type II Diabetes: Therapeutic Potential
• Transgene-Free Canker-Resistant Citrus sinensis with Cas12/RNP
• AI Literacy in Early Childhood Education: Challenges and Opportunities