Monkeypox India: Relevance
- GS 2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Monkeypox Kerala: Context
- Recently, the first case of Monkeypox was confirmed in Kerala, when he developed symptoms of the disease after arriving from abroad.
Monkeypox severity: Key points
- He had returned from the United Arab Emirates three days ago and had come into contact with another confirmed case in the UAE.
- The person’s samples were tested at the National Institute of Virology in Pune, which confirmed monkey pox.
What is monkeypox?
- Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease with symptoms similar to smallpox, although with less clinical severity.
- The infection was first discovered in 1958 following two outbreaks of a pox-like disease in colonies of monkeys kept for research, thus leading to the name ‘monkeypox’.
Monkeypox symptoms
- According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), monkeypox begins with a fever, headache, muscle aches, back ache, and exhaustion.
- The infection can also cause the lymph nodes to swell (lymphadenopathy), which smallpox does not.
- The WHO had advised not to confuse monkeypox with chickenpox, measles, bacterial skin infections, scabies, syphilis and medication-associated allergies.
- Monkeypox is usually a self-limiting disease with symptoms lasting from two to four weeks
- The period of communicability is 1-2 days before the rash until all the scabs fall off/get subsided.
Monkeypox Effects
- Skin eruptions show up within two days of fever.
- The rash is more concentrated on the face as is apparent in 95 per cent cases.
- In 75 per cent cases, it is found in the palm and sole of the feet.
- It affects the oral mucous membrane in 70 per cent of the cases.
- The conjunctiva, cornea of the eye and the genital area can also get affected.
- Patients should isolate and watch out for pain in eye or blurring of vision, shortness of breath, and decrease in urine output.
Monkeypox treatment
- So far, there is no proven treatment for monkeypox.
- The WHO recommends supportive treatment depending on the symptoms, and those infected are advised to isolate immediately.
- According to the doctors, monkeypox is a very well-understood condition that can be managed efficiently with available clinical remedies.
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