Content

Monkeypox – What is It?

Monkeypox is a rare viral disease. The monkeypox virus belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox. Their symptoms are similar, but monkeypox is milder.

Monkeypox is not associated with varicella (chickenpox) and is rarely fatal, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), mortality is 3-6%.

Symptoms

A pimple-like rash is the most characteristic symptom of monkeypox. The rash can appear on any part of the body: on the face, mouth, arms and legs, chest, back, and genitals. The rash goes through several stages of development before healing with the formation of scabs, which last for weeks.

Sometimes the only symptom of monkeypox is the rash, and sometimes it is just the first symptom.

Swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy) are also one of the first signs of monkeypox. Most often, the size of the lymph nodes in the neck, armpits and groin increases.

Lymphadenopathy is a distinctive symptom of monkeypox compared to other similar diseases – chickenpox, smallpox, measles.

Influenza symptoms often appear in the first one to three days of illness. The patient may have a fever, fever, fever, or chills. Pain can be felt in the muscles (myalgia), back, and head.

The patient is severely weakened (asthenia).

Human-to-Human Transmission

Transmission of the monkeypox virus most often occurs in the household. Therefore, the leading risk group is the family members of the sick person.

Transmission routes:

  • Through direct contact with rashes, scabs, bodily fluids (blood, saliva, mucus, secretions);
  • Through items that have touched the infectious rash: bed linen, clothes, household items;
  • By airborne droplets through breathing during prolonged face-to-face contact: during hugs, kisses, sex;
  • Pregnant women can infect the fetus because the monkeypox virus can pass through the placental barrier.

A person with monkeypox can infect others within weeks. People who do not have symptoms do not carry the disease.

Animal-to-Human Transmission

A person can contract monkeypox from an infected animal. The most common infection methods are scratches and bites and when preparing and eating a sick animal.

The natural reservoirs of the virus are squirrels and rodents that infect monkeys and other animals.

Humans-to-Pets Transmission

Monkeypox has the potential to be transmitted from a sick person to animals, but no confirmed cases have yet been reported.

As of June 14, 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not consider the risk of infection to pets significant. However, the Center recommends that sick people avoid contact with pets.

Prevention

Protective measures against the virus are focused on two areas:

  • Avoid contact with those who are infected, and when caring for sick people, practice hand hygiene and use personal protective equipment (PPE);
  • Vaccination: the particular monkeypox and smallpox vaccines are effective against monkeypox. In 2019, a new two-component variola virus vaccine passed phase 3 trials. However, the previous generation vaccine is also about 85% effective. Also, in November 2021, Jynneos (Imvamune, Imvanex) specific monkeypox vaccine was approved in the US. It is recommended for people at risk and medical personnel. The need for vaccination against monkeypox is currently being studied by the World Health Organization (WHO).

General recommendations for prevention:

  • Isolate infected patients;
  • Avoid contact with wild animals that may carry monkeypox;
  • Avoid contact with objects the sick animal has been in contact with.

Treatment

According to WHO, monkeypox, in most cases, goes away without treatment. Her symptoms disappear within a month.

Young children and people with suppressed immunity are at risk. For them, complications of the disease are dangerous.

In November 2021, the European Medicines Agency registered a drug for the treatment of monkeypox.

Interferons for Treating Monkeypox

Interferon-beta is being tested in the laboratory to prevent and treat monkeypox. The effectiveness of prevention 24 hours before the infection is 91%. The treatment efficiency is 95-99% (depending on the dose) if treatment is started 6-8 hours after infection.

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences have demonstrated that clade IIb of the epidemic MPXV strain activates the cGAS-STING signaling pathway in macrophages—a key mechanism that detects viral DNA and triggers the synthesis of type I interferons (IFN-I, including IFN-α and IFN-β). The viral protein A29 is thought to enhance this pathway through interaction with STING and TBK1 proteins.

IFN-β significantly suppressed MPXV replication in mice and reduced splenomegaly—an inflammatory spleen enlargement. The timing of treatment was critical: the best results were achieved when IFN-β was administered prophylactically three hours before infection. Post-infection administration of IFN-β still provided protection but to a lesser extent.

In studies on macaques, pegylated IFN-α2b reduced the number of skin lesions and decreased plasma viral load by nearly 100-fold. Macaques treated with pegylated IFN-α2b tolerated the infection more easily.

Type I interferons may become part of combination therapy for monkeypox, used alongside antiviral drugs. These findings pave the way for developing effective early-stage treatment strategies.

Details of the study can be found in the article “Type I Interferon Reduces Monkeypox Severity,” published in Cell Reports Medicine.

Conclusions

Monkeypox is a rare disease. Transmission of infection occurs through close contact: through the air (airborne droplets) and skin lesions. The best prevention is avoiding infected people and animals, washing soap and disinfecting hands, and wearing personal protective equipment. The disease often resolves on its own, but children and people with weakened immune systems are at risk. Mortality from monkeypox ranges from 3 to 6%.

Useful article, necessary information? Share it!

Someone will also find it useful and necessary:


Reference

Our Telegram channel:

Related posts: