Latest news with #monkeypox
Health Line
24-06-2025
- Health
- Health Line
What Is Monkeypox (mpox)?
Mpox (monkeypox) is a viral disease similar to smallpox. It causes fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a lesion-like rash. The lesions can appear on or near your genitals or anus and in other areas. Mpox is also a zoonotic disease. This means it can be transmitted from animals to humans and vice versa. It can also be transmitted from one human to another. There are two different types of the mpox virus, the West African virus and the Congo Basin virus. Before 2022, most cases of mpox occurred in central and western Africa. However, cases of mpox caused by the West African form of the virus have since spread worldwide, including in areas where it doesn't usually occur. Read on to learn about the causes, symptoms, and diagnosis of mpox. This article will also explain how mpox spreads and how it can be treated. The Word Health Organization (WHO) changed the name from 'monkeypox' to 'mpox' in November 2022 to reduce the risk of stigmatization and other issues. Where possible, this article has been updated to reflect this change. What causes monkeypox? Mpox is caused by the mpox virus. The virus is part of the Orthopoxvirus genus, which includes the virus that causes smallpox. Scientists first identified the disease in 1958. Two outbreaks occurred among monkeys used for research, which is why the condition was originally called monkeypox. The first case of mpox in a human happened in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Monkeypox symptoms The symptoms of mpox are similar to those of smallpox. However, Mpox symptoms are typically milder. After you contract the mpox virus, it typically takes 6 to 13 days for symptoms to appear. However, this can range from 5 to 21 days. The early symptoms can include: fever, which is commonly the first symptom headache muscle aches back ache fatigue chills swollen lymph nodes, also known as lymphadenopathy After the fever develops, a rash usually appears 1 to 3 days later. The rash typically affects your: face, which is the most common site palms of your hands soles of your feet mouth genitalia eyes, including the conjunctivae and cornea A rash may come before or after fever and other flu-like symptoms. Some people may only experience a rash. The rash associated with mpox consists of lesions that evolve in the following order: macules, or flat discolored lesions papules, or slightly raised lesions vesicles, or bumps with clear fluid pustules, or bumps with yellowish fluid scabs After the lesions dry and scab over, they fall off. The symptoms of mpox generally last 2 to 4 weeks and go away without treatment. Monkeypox pictures Here's what the condition looks like in humans: Potential complications from monkeypox Possible complications of mpox include: bronchopneumonia sepsis inflammation of brain tissue, also known as encephalitis infection of the cornea, the clear outer layer of your eye secondary infections An infection in the cornea may lead to vision loss. In severe cases, the lesions might merge together. This may cause the loss of a large area of skin. Where is monkeypox found? In the past, the mpox virus was mainly active in tropical, rural parts of central and western Africa. Since 1970, it has occurred in the following countries: Benin Cameroon Central African Republic Cote d'Ivoire Democratic Republic of the Congo Gabon Liberia Nigeria Republic of the Congo Sierra Leone South Sudan Historically, most reported cases of mpox are from rural areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, on July 23, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. How does monkeypox spread? Mypox spreads through direct contact with the mpox virus through the following substances: blood bodily fluids skin or mucous lesions respiratory droplets, for human-to-human contact It can also spread through contact with objects, fabrics, or surfaces that contain the mpox virus. People who are pregnant can also pass the virus to their fetus through the placenta. The mpox virus can also be spread through intimate contact, which includes: hugging, massaging, or kissing oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse touching the genitals or anus of a person with the mpox virus prolonged face-to-face contact touching objects during sex that contain the mpox virus, such as bedding, towels, or sex toys Transmission can also happen through: bites and scratches from animals with an mpox infection eating the meat of an animal with an mpox infection Scientists are still researching whether monkeypox can be spread by a person who has no symptoms, how it spreads through respiratory secretions, and whether or not it can be spread by contact with other bodily fluids, including vaginal fluids, semen, urine, or feces. Is monkeypox deadly? According to the CDC, mpox is rarely fatal. In fact, approximately 99% of people who get the West African version of mpox survive. This is the strain that's responsible for the current outbreak. Certain people may be more susceptible to severe illness and complications, including: people with weakened immune systems children under 8 years old people who are pregnant or breastfeeding individuals with a history of eczema People who experience secondary bacterial infections tend to have worse outcomes. Compared with the West African form of the virus, the Congo Basin form of mpox is usually more severe — it has a fatality rate of around 10%. How is monkeypox treated? There's currently no treatment for mpox. However, monkeypox is self-limiting, which means it can get better without treatment. Some medications can be used to control an outbreak and prevent the disease from spreading. They can include: vaccinia vaccine (smallpox vaccine) vaccinia immune globulin antiviral medication (in animals) tecovirimat (TPOXX), an antiviral used to treat smallpox brincidofovir (Tembexa), an antiviral used to treat adult and pediatric smallpox cidofovir, which is typically used to treat eye infections caused by cytomegalovirus but has been used in certain mpox cases Other treatments focus on managing symptoms using over-the-counter or prescription medications, such as pain relievers, topical creams, and oral antihistamines. Can vaccination prevent monkeypox? According to the WHO, the smallpox vaccine is approximately 85% effective in preventing the development of mpox. If you received the smallpox vaccine as a child and contract the mpox virus, your symptoms may be mild. There are two vaccines available that may be used for the prevention of mpox, JYNNEOS and ACAM2000. People who have been exposed to mpox and those who are at an increased risk of contracting the virus should get a vaccine. This includes people who: have been identified by public health officials as a close contact of a person with mpox have had a sexual partner within the past 2 weeks who's been diagnosed with mpox have had multiple sexual partners within the past 2 weeks in an area where mpox cases have been reported who have a job that exposes them to orthopoxviruses, including mpox Ask your doctor about getting a vaccination. In addition to getting vaccinated, wash your hands frequently and avoid direct contact with people who have mpox or objects that they might've used to prevent infection. Who should be screened for monkeypox and how is it diagnosed? If you've had close contact with someone who has gotten mpox, consulting with a healthcare professional to determine whether testing is necessary. Doctors diagnose mpox using several methods: Lab tests: This involves testing the fluid from lesions or dry scabs. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test can check for the virus in these samples. Biopsy: A biopsy involves removing a piece of skin tissue and testing it for the virus. Blood tests aren't usually recommended. That's because the mpox virus stays in the blood for a short time. Therefore, it's not an accurate test for diagnosing mpox. Takeaway Mpox is a viral disease and zoonotic condition, which means it can spread from animals to humans. It can also spread through contact between two humans. The first symptoms typically include fever, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes. As the disease progresses, it causes a rash, which can appear on or near your genitals, anus, face, chest, and extremities. The rash consists of lesions that turn into fluid-filled blisters, which then dry up and fall off. The rash typically starts on your face and then progresses, usually to your arms and legs. However, it can occur in other parts of your body as well.
BBC News
24-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Bristol hospital is now one of seven specialised pandemic centres
A hospital in Bristol has become a designated treatment centre for patients who catch dangerous airborne infectious diseases such as avian flu. Southmead Hospital is now one of seven sites in the country now designed to care for adults with airborne high consequence infectious diseases (HCID). It means that if someone requires inpatient or critical care for monkey pox or avian flu they can be treated in a dedicated isolation unit or space in the intensive care unit (ICU).Consultant in intensive care medicine at the hospital, Dr Scott Grier, said: "If and when there was another pandemic we are now well placed to admit some of those patients early on." The hospital has developed processes for the isolation of HCID patients to ensure the safety of staff and other patients. The processes were recently tested in a training exercise which involved South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust transporting a fake patient with avian flu through basement corridors in the hospital. Dr Grier said they were now better prepared for future pandemics and would share that knowledge across the country. He explained they had customised a part of the ICU to look after a highly infectious patient saying it was now "even safer" than it was before in terms of ventilation and are rare in the UK so the number of patients likely to require treatment at Southmead will be low. Dr Ankur Gupta-Wright, one of the HCID lead consultants at Southmead Hospital, said: "Day to day, if we do get cases, it will be helpful because it means we can manage patients closer to home if they're in the South West or the Midlands. "And if and when there is a pandemic we'll have a lot more resilience through this unit."He said there had previously been five centres to manage infectious diseases in the country but they had been in London or the North. "There was a big geographical gap so NHS England commissioned two new HCID centres including our one," he said. Chief nursing officer, Professor Steve Hams, added: "This achievement reflects the significant growth and development of our infectious diseases team at North Bristol NHS Trust in recent years, and highlights our emergence as a true centre of excellence for expert, compassionate care."
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Vaccination clinics canceled across Twin Cities as Trump admin pulls health funding
The sudden cancelation of federal COVID-19 funding by the Trump administration is already having an impact on healthcare services in the Twin Cities. The State of Minnesota announced earlier this week that congressionally-approved federal grants worth $226 million had been suddenly withdrawn by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), part of $11.4 billion in funding it's clawing back from states and local public health department as it declares the COVID pandemic "over." But the funding was being used to provide services beyond COVID-19, with the City of Minneapolis using it for free adult and pediatric vaccination clinics that offershots not just for COVID, but also influenza and monkey pox (Mpox), as well as educational campaigns on the importance of immunizations, and updating immunization records for Minneapolis Public School students. As a result of the funding being pulled, the city said that all the work related to vaccination clinics and vaccine education "must cease immediately." Five free vaccine clinics scheduled for April have been canceled as a result, with the funding also "directly" impacting three staff with the city's health department who were working on the immunization program. As things stand, the "critical" staff are being retained by the city and funded by other sources, but the city is having to "evaluate all options." "The impact on our community is substantial. We are canceling five free vaccine clinics scheduled for April, and the future of our vaccine services in underserved communities is uncertain," said Commissioner Damōn Chaplin, Minneapolis Health Department. "Decisions at the federal level threaten public health now and in the future." As well as flu, COVID and Mpox vaccines, the city has also held more than 20 vaccine clinics for childhood immunizations in 2024, with the city saying only 70% of Minneapolis' 6-year-olds are up-to-date on their childhood shots. The scene in Minneapolis is being replicated elsewhere in the Twin Cities, withKSTP reporting an upcoming free vaccination clinic in St. Paul has been canceled, along with a pop-up clinic provided by Neighborhood Healthsource scheduled for Anoka County. The Minnesota Department of Health told the TV station that the $226 million cut in funding is likely to result in the laying off of around 200 employees. "Decisions at the federal level are impacting lives and hurting employees dedicated to making Minneapolis a healthy place to live. Their work on our vaccine program has saved lives and prevented illnesses throughout the city," said Commissioner Damōn Chaplin. "Eliminating federal support for these positions hurts our community and puts more burden on Minneapolis to deliver our mission to improve the health and well-being of every community member." COVID-19 has killed more than 8,000 Americans since the start of 2025 despite the prevalence of the deadly virus being lower than in previous years. Flu deaths since September have topped 24,000.
