For several days, Monkeypox, has been spreading in a worrying way around the world.


monkeypox

What is the Monkeypox virus?

This disease is quite rare in Europe, it is especially in Africa that it has spread since its discovery in 1958. It is however not very contagious between 2 human beings, the infection coming from direct contact with blood or lesions animal skin. Consumption of infected meat can also be the cause.

It developed after the cessation of smallpox vaccinations following the global eradication of the virus and spreads mainly in humid and tropical areas.

Symptoms of this virus are high fever, headache or muscle aches. Rashes, blisters and pustules may also appear, especially on the face.

This viral disease heals itself. The symptoms disappear maximum 21 days after their appearance. The lethality rate of this viral disease is between 1 and 10% according to TF1.

The WHO puts it at 1% in West Africa. In 2017, a case fatality rate of up to 11% was noted when an outbreak of the disease was observed in Nigeria.


 Cases all over the world

Initially, it was in the United Kingdom that the first cases appeared in Europe, at the beginning of May. Since then, Spain and Portugal have recorded a significant and worrying number of cases.

In our Spain, 8 sick patients were identified yesterday. Last night, 7 of them were confirmed and this figure would have tripled, even quadrupled, while more than 50 new suspected cases were identified.

The Monkeypox virus has also been found in Canada and the first American case was identified in Massachusetts overnight.

The vast majority of cases concern men who have had homosexual relations. However, no direct link has been made to date. 22 of the 23 men observed in Madrid would be affected.

Hospital staff lament that this figure is actually much higher, reports El Pais.

 No treatment yet?


According to a report by the World Health Organization published at the end of last year, there is currently no sufficiently accessible and effective treatment or vaccine against monkeypo

With the number of cases identified for several days, there is no doubt that advanced research will be relaunched.

In 2020, the Institut Pasteur explained that the smallpox vaccine would be 85% effective against monkeypox.

For its part, the WHO explains the weak protection we have against this virus: "It is likely that immunity against infection is weak in exposed people, because this endemic disease is geographically limited to West Africa. West and Central Africa and populations under the age of 40 or 50 worldwide no longer benefit from the protection conferred by the old smallpox vaccination programs."

Affected patients should be isolated during the infectious period. The incubation period is between 6 and 16 days. As in the face of Covid-19, hand hygiene is essential, the WHO already reported a few months ago.