Amid growing concerns about the spread of monkeypox infections, experts around the world are working to monitor transmission chains and try to stop the unusual outbreak.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 550 cases of monkeypox have been reported worldwide in countries including the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, Portugal and Canada.
The disease is relatively rare and there are no clear links between some of the infections, which raises concerns about community spread and undetected cases.
Speaking at a press briefing in June, WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adanom Gebreyesus said that “the sudden appearance of monkeypox in many countries at the same time suggests that there may have been an undiscovered transmission for some time.”
Due to the unexpected nature of the current epidemic, there are still many unknowns about the disease, including exactly how it spread and whether stopping mass immunization against smallpox decades ago could somehow accelerate its transmission.
CTVNews.ca asked experts some of our readers; the most frequently asked questions to help separate facts from fiction when it comes to monkeypox.
IF I HAD THE MACCINE VACCINE AS A CHILD, WAS YOU PROTECTED AGAINST THE MONKEY STICK? AND THE VICELA?
First discovered in 1958, smallpox is a rare disease that comes from the genus of orthopoxvirus viruses, which belongs to the same family as the one that causes smallpox.
Despite the similar name, Dr. Stephen Hopshan Kahn, a clinical professor at the University of British Columbia, says chickenpox is a type of herpes virus that is not linked to monkeypox.
“If you’ve had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine, you’re not protected against monkeypox,” he told CTVNews.ca by email on May 31.
There is no proven cure for the viral infection, but because they are linked, the smallpox vaccine is also known to protect against monkeypox with an efficiency of more than 85 percent. But as the smallpox vaccine eradicated the disease, routine smallpox immunization for the general population ended in Canada in 1972.
Hoption Cann said this means that every Canadian who has been vaccinated against smallpox was inoculated more than 50 years ago.
“Probably after 50 or more years, this vaccination may not offer too much protection against this disease,” he said.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) told a news briefing on May 27 that it was focusing on a “targeted approach to vaccination and treatment” for high-risk groups amid the current monkeypox epidemic and did not believe in a mass vaccination campaign. currently needed.
HOW DO PEOPLE GET SICK OF MONKEYS? CAN I TAKE IT FROM THE SURFACE?
According to the WHO, monkeypox is transmitted through close contact with an infected animal, human or infected material. It is thought that human-to-human transmission occurs mainly through large respiratory droplets, which do not usually travel far and require prolonged close contact.
The virus can also be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, as well as through contact with infected material and surfaces. Transmission from an animal can occur through bites or scratches, contact with animal blood or body fluids.
However, Hoption Cann noted that monkeypox “is not an easily transmitted disease such as COVID-19” and requires prolonged contact with an infected person or transmission material.
“If you are caring for a person who has had the disease, where the virus will be on the skin, clothes and bedding – in this situation it can be transmitted through direct contact,” he said.
If the case becomes more widespread in Canada, Toronto-based emergency physician Dr. Kashif Pirzada told CTVNews.ca in a June 1 telephone interview that health officials may need to re-emphasize surface cleaning. to help mitigate public risk, similar to the approach at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The WHO said it did not expect the hundreds of reported cases so far to turn into a new pandemic, but acknowledged that there were still many unknowns about the disease, including the method of transmission.
Can homemade homemade homemade homemade homemade homemade homemade homemade homemade homemade homemade home home home home home home home home home home home can I pass it on to people?
Smallpox is endemic to animals in regions of West Africa, and while the cases have previously occurred in countries where it is not endemic, the cases usually involve people who have recently traveled to or imported animals from Africa.
The disease was first discovered in colonies of monkeys used for research, but has been shown to spread to “a variety of mammal species,” according to Hoption Cann, mostly rodents but also prairie dogs.
“It is not known if it can specifically infect pets, but no animal infections have been reported in the current epidemic,” he said.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU GET FROM THE MONKEY? WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
The symptoms of smallpox are similar to those of smallpox, but are generally milder. The first signs are fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, chills and exhaustion.
The incubation period – the time interval between the initial infection and the onset of symptoms – for monkeypox is usually 6-13 days, but can vary up to 21 days, according to the PHAC.
The measles develops after the onset of fever and usually occurs one to three days later, sometimes longer. The rash usually begins on the face and spreads to other parts of the body, developing into distinct, raised bumps that then fill with fluid or pus.
DO THE LESIONS FROM THE MONKEY STAR LEAVE SCARS?
Hoption Cann noted that scars can be caused by lesions left by monkeypox, especially if they are cut or have fluid inside.
“The younger you are, the more likely your skin is to heal without leaving a scar. For those with darker skin, the skin may fall off, leaving areas of hypopigmentation, he said.
However, Pirzada said the lesions may look “very fine” to some, and warned to be careful of even the slightest changes in the skin. He said the lesions could be painful for some patients.
“It may not be all over the body, it may be just a few places here and there,” he said.
HOW CAN PEOPLE PROTECT THEMSELVES?
Dr Howard Nju, deputy chief public health officer, told a news briefing on May 27 that Canadians should be aware of the symptoms of monkeypox and seek medical help, especially if they have an unexplained rash.
He added that people can avoid infection by “keeping a physical distance from people outside their homes”.
“In addition, wearing masks, covering up coughing and sneezing, and practicing frequent hand washing continue to be important, especially in public places,” Nju said.
Although the overall risk of monkeypox to the general public is low, experts say it is important to remember that everyone is susceptible, although most cases in Canada and others appear to be spread through sexual contact between men.
With that in mind, it may be wise for people to limit the number of their sexual partners until the epidemic is known.
“If your city has a large outbreak of monkeypox, I would be very careful about sexual contact,” he said.
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