Infectious disease doesn't rest. So what do Canadians (and our fellow North Americans) need to know about monkeypox, another virus making its way around the world?
Image Credit: GT Molecular
If it's a human disease, why is it called monkeypox?
The monkeypox virus was first discovered in research monkeys in 1958, although monkeys are not the only animals known to carry monkeypox. The first recorded case in humans happened in 1970. However, the name may change soon, given the World Health Organization has developed best practices for naming human infectious diseases since.
How do you get monkeypox?
Close contact with infected hosts, such as humans, non-human primates (macaques, chimpanzees, baboons) and rodents (African prairie dogs) is how this virus is transmitted. Usually, this means skin-to-skin contact with open sores and blisters, as well as air-borne droplets from coughs and sneezes when face-to-face. It can also mean tissues, towels, and bedding that have been in contact with these infectious fluids, so anyone can get monkeypox.
Is monkeypox sexually transmitted?
No. It is transmitted through close contact, which can happen during sexual intercourse.
Is there a vaccine?
Yes! Because the lesions can be painful and leave scars, people may choose to get vaccinated against the monkeypox virus. Here, in B.C., we have recently rolled out a vaccine program with Imvamune. The vaccine is made of pox viruses that have lost the ability to cause infection and multiply. The vaccine happens to also be protective against small pox, which we no longer routinely vaccinate for since vaccination programs led to its world-wide eradication in 1980.
Can you die from monkeypox?
Yes, it is possible - but not likely. Deaths from monkeypox are rare. No deaths have yet been reported in Canada or the U.S. There have been 75 deaths among the 21 000 cases reported in 11 African countries, 1 death out of 1328 cases from 7 South American nations, and 1 death out of 4908 cases in the European Union during the current outbreak.
Photo Credit: UK Health Security Agency
If I get infected, when will symptoms appear?
Symptoms can appear as early as 5 days after being infected and as late as 3 weeks after. This means you can be infected and still feel well. Once symptoms appear, there can be 2 phases, although some people only experience the second phase:
PHASE 1 (flu-like symptoms, first 1-5 days):
Feeling generally unwell with a fever, intense headache, swollen lymph nodes, back pain, muscle aches, and/or fatigue.
PHASE 2 (rash, up to 4 weeks, ending once scabs fall off):
About 1-5 days after the fever, a rash appears, usually on one part of the body, such as the face, arms, legs, or genitals, then spreading to the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, mouth, and/or eyes. The rash may be painful and first contain flat and raised lesions which then all change to itchy, small, fluid-filled blisters. The blisters often change to large red bumps with pus. Eventually, these crust and scale off. Once this happens, a person is no longer contagious.
Image Credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
How is monkeypox treated?
You should consult your family doctor to make sure what you have is monkeypox and not something more worrisome. Once a diagnosis is made, the treatment for monkeypox is supportive - treating your symptoms until your immune system finishes fighting the infection. This means staying isolated at home, resting, keeping well-hydrated, eating well, and taking acetaminophen (for the average adult, this usually means 1000 mg every 8 hours as needed, up to a maximum of 3000 mg/24 hours) for the fever and pain symptoms. To minimize scarring, try not to scratch or pick at the pox lesions. Your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter antihistamine like cetirizine to help with the itchiness.
Good luck out there and stay safe!
What do you think the World Health Organization should call the monkeypox virus to minimize stigma and racism?
hMPXV - human origin MonkeyPoX Virus
hPRPV - human origin Primate and Rodent Pox Virus
George
TLDR
The monkeypox virus is spread through close contact: skin-to-skin in the presence of sores and blisters or face-to-face sneezing and coughing. The key is contact with infectious bodily fluids.
You may be infected and not have any symptoms for up to 3 weeks.
There often are 2 symptom phases
Phase 1 is 1-5 days of flu-like symptoms, including fever.
Phase 2 is painful rash that evolves into itchy blisters and sores, which crust and scab over up to 4 weeks. The rash spreads centrifugally over the body.
Monkeypox may result in scarring. Only very rarely will people die from this infection.
Treatment is supportive.
A vaccine is available in Canada.
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