What is monkeypox?

Monkeypox virus is a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans

It is a close relative of smallpox and is the first new type of smallpox seen in Africa since 1977. It is an acute and contagious disease caused by the smallpox virus. The virus is found in the blood, saliva, nasal secretions, and breast milk of an infected person.

The virus can be spread by coming into contact with an infected animal or a person who has not been vaccinated. That is, the virus is transmitted from animals to humans and from human to human. Also its transmission in unprotected sexual relations with someone who has the virus and has not been vaccinated.

The smallpox virus, eradicated in 1980, has re-emerged in Africa. The monkeypox virus outbreak has been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria.

What symptoms are seen?

• Cause fever
• Rash that starts on the face and then spreads.

The WHO says it can lead to life-threatening complications, such as encephalitis or meningitis.

“With few exceptions, this virus has generally been confined to the West and Central African regions, but now we are in a new situation that is both surprising and worrying. Previously, the small number of cases that had emerged in other parts of the world could be linked to people who had traveled to affected countries and brought it home. It is now unclear who people are catching it from. Although the patients are progressing favorably, the scientific community has got down to work to quickly define what is happening,” reports José Carlos Cueto of BBC News Mundo.

What is almost certain is that it will not become a pandemic, since it is very difficult to transmit from person to person, unlike a respiratory virus such as Sars-Cov2.

Scientists call for calm but there is no need to relax, since we are facing the largest outbreak of this monkeypox virus outside of Africa. Likewise, they report that it is relatively easy to control the cases and in approximately one month, it is expected that the cases will decrease.

Experts also explain that climate change, deforestation, the rapid flow of people between continents make this type of contagion possible. It is one more example of the danger that we face in today’s world with emerging viruses, mainly those of animal origin.