New Delhi: Amid the rising concerns related to the worldwide spread of Mpox Virus (MonkeyPox), the Union Health Ministry has issued a warning and strict vigilance at all the international airports and land ports, especially in Bangladesh and Pakistan which are the bordering areas of India. With the rapid spread of the virus, these measures are taken to identify and isolate people who are traveling from outside the country who show symptoms of Mpox. Over the virus being reported in India as well, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared monkeypox, a viral infection to be a public health emergency or PHEIC and has put India on high alert, with the highest level of warning.
Mpox, earlier known as monkeypox is a part of the same family that causes smallpox, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But it is not linked to chickenpox. The virus was discovered in 1958 and was originally named monkeypox because that’s the animal it was first found in. According to the CDC, this is not because monkeys are the source of infections. But how to differentiate between Mpox and smallpox?
In conversation with News9, Dr Vikram Vora, Medical Director, International SOS explained, “Monkeypox is a disease caused by a virus of the orthopoxvirus family (whose other members include the now-eradicated smallpox virus). The difference between the two lies in the severity and outcome of the disease. Monkeypox is a milder infection than smallpox, even if the symptoms and progression are similar. Even in the countries where it is endemic (mainly in parts of the African continent), the fatality rate has been low (between 1-10 percent), in recent times, this rate has been observed to be lower at 3-6 percent of all infections.”
“The risk of severe disease and death depends on the strain of the virus as well as pre-existing health conditions and secondary infections. While strain Clade 2 is milder and was responsible for the 2022 outbreak, the worry in 2024 is that the slightly more severe strain called Clade 1, which is usually restricted to a few African countries has been causing cases in Sweden, the Philippines, and Pakistan. This is the reason why the WHO has declared the mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC),” added Dr Vora.
Human-to-human transmission occurs due to:
Sexual contact or direct contact with the body fluids of an infected person
Contact with rashes or pustules of an infected case
Prolonged face-to-face contact with a sick person
After touching virus-contaminated objects, such as shared bedding or clothing
How will I know if my rash is that of mpox?
According to Dr Vora, “An unexplained fever, about 1-2 weeks after travel would raise a clinical suspicion, especially if the fever is accompanied by headache, body pain, swollen lymph nodes and extreme fatigue, and exhaustion. A history of contact with an unwell animal or person makes the suspicion stronger. Your doctor will suggest further investigation if a rash erupts once the fever subsides and becomes progressively worse with raised lesions that appear pus-filled (pustules). PCR testing or visualizing the virus in the pus when seen under an electron microscope, confirms the diagnosis.”
Mpox, earlier known as monkeypox is a part of the same family that causes smallpox, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But it is not linked to chickenpox. The virus was discovered in 1958 and was originally named monkeypox because that’s the animal it was first found in. According to the CDC, this is not because monkeys are the source of infections. But how to differentiate between Mpox and smallpox? Health Conditions Health News: Latest News from Health Care, Mental Health, Weight Loss, Disease, Nutrition, Healthcare
