Monkeypox: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, Prevention and Treatment

Overview

Monkeypox is rare zoonosis disease caused by virus and it is primarily found in remote rain forest parts of West and Central Africa. The Monkeypox viral disease can be fatal as it shares some similarities and features with smallpox.

The monkey pox was first found in laboratory monkeys and the virus affects both humans and animal although it is primarily transmitted from wild animals like rodents and mice into humans but the secondary mode of transmission from human-to-human. There is currently no specific vaccine or treatments for Monkeypox although smallpox vaccines have proven effective with Monkeypox.

The death rate from Monkeypox has been between 1% and 10% of the affected cases and most deaths occurring in children. 

Monkeypox Discovery/Outbreak

The Monkeypox was first investigated among monkeys in Denmark 1958, in the State Serum Institute Copenhagen. The disease was discovered in 1970 in 9 years old boy when there was an outbreak of a disease with pox-like features in the then Zaire now (Democratic Republic of Congo). In 2003 a case of monkey virus was discovered in the United State of America that led to the ban on imports of rodents from Africa into the US and in 2005 another outbreak of Monkeypox was experienced in Sudan.

The most recent outbreak of the disease was discovered in 2016 in Central Africa Republic with reported 26 cases and 2 deaths and Bayelsa a South-South state in Nigeria with 10 cases.

Mode of Transmission and Causes

Monkeypox disease is a rare infection that belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus thesame as smallpox and in the Poxiviridae family. Monkey pox infection could be as a result of direct contact with blood and body fluid or mucosal and cutaneous lesions of infected animals. In Africa records had shown humans can also be infected by handling infected animals like monkey, squirrels which are the major host of the virus. The virus secondary mode of transmission from human-to-human is majorly as a result of close contact with the infected persons body fluid, skin lesion and respiratory tracts secretions.

Transmission can also occur by inoculation a process primarily aimed to help the body produce antibody against the virus or via the placenta (congenital monkeypox). Everybody around the infected animal or person is at risk of the infection; breathing in air contaminated by the infected person’s cough or sneeze can cause infection.

Signs and symptoms of monkey pox

Monkeypox virus has an incubating period from the day of infection which is between 6 to 16 days but can also range from 5 to 21 days before the onset of the signs and symptoms.

Monkeypox infection’s incubating period is divided into two:

• The invasion period when signs like fever, severe headache, myalgia (muscle ache), swelling of the lymph nodes and lack of energy surfaces this is between 0 to 5 days.

• The skin eruption period is between 1 and 3 days after the onset of fever, at the stage rashes appears on the face before speeding to the rest of the body

The lesions caused by the virus in many cases affects about 70% of the oral mucosa membrane, 30% genitalia, 20% of the conjunctivae (eyelid)  and as well as the eye ball.

The lesion caused by the infection progresses through the following stage:

• Macules – Lesions with flat bases

• Papules - A small solid pimple or swelling inflamed but no pus

• Vesicles - small fluid-filled blisters

• Pustules - small bumps on the skin that contains fluid or pus

• Scabs or crusts - a hardened covering of dried secretions plasma or pus that forms over a wound

Monkeypox infection lasts for about 2-4 weeks with severe cases occurs mostly among children, however reports also shows fatality to be around 1 in 10 affected cases.

Diagnosis of Monkeypox

Monkeypox can be diagnosed in different ways but only in the laboratory where the virus can be identified by the appropriate test

• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay  – This laboratory technique employs the system of making a large copy of DNA from a small sample of genetic material, this process amplifies the DNA and the gene of interest can measured or detected

• Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) – This is also known as enzyme immunoassay (EIA) it is a wet-lab biochemistry analytic assay, this process is used to detect the presence of substance antibody or antigen in a sample

• Virus isolation by cell culture – This method is used to detect the virus as it is a proven and accepted gold standard diagnosis of virus

• Antigen detection tests – This method detects the antigen of the monkeypox virus from the sample taken from an infected person

Treatment and Vaccine

Monkeypox infection presently has no standard treatment of its own or vaccines however the outbreak can be controlled. Medicines can be given to suppress the symptoms; vaccination against small pox can also be given as it has been proven to be useful in fighting the infection

Management of monkeypox symptoms

Monkeypox as a disease with presently no cure can be managed; adequate rest is needed for the body to regain its strength. The infected person should also eat healthy foods, fruits vegetables, fish and meat. This food will help strengthen the body and help the body recover

Prevention of monkeypox

1. Avoid close unprotected contact with the infected person which may increase the risk of infection
2. Any suspected exposure should be taken seriously by quarantine the person and observe for signs and symptoms
3. Good personal hygiene should be ensured; washing of hands and using hand sanitizer
4. Educate people on the measures needed to limit exposure and infection
5. Personal protective equipments should be used by care giver to avoid infection and spreading
6. Animal products should be well cooked before consumption
7. Restriction of possible host animal trade should be observed