Monkeypox may persist in body for 10 weeks: Lancet study

Monkeypox virus may persist in the body for 10 weeks even after the telltale rash has disappeared according to a retrospective study published in the journal Lancet Infectious DiseasesThe finding led by a team of researchers from Liverpool University Hospitals is based on an analysis of the UKs seven previous cases who were struck down between 2018 and 2021According to the research one of the UKs seven previous cases a man in his 40s who caught monkeypox in Nigeria before being hospitalised in the UK still tested positive 76 days after first falling ill Daily Mail reportedThe man who wasnt identified was given the all clear and sent home from hospital a few weeks after being struck down with the virusSix weeks later when he had sex for the first time after his illness his virus came back the doctors claimedThe man told doctors how his lymph nodes had swollen in size researchers wrote in the paperThis swelling came with pustular skin lesions characteristic of monkeypoxSubsequent PCR tests of the lesions and his throat came back positive for the virus But the mans relapse was short and he was otherwise clinically well the report saidAlthough the study reported detection of monkeypox virus in blood and throat swabs lead author Dr Hugh Adler from the Hospital said they were surprised that the virus could linger in the throat and blood for that length of timeIt remains positive in the throat and blood for the length of the illness and maybe even longer after the rash he was quoted as sayingTraditionally monkeypox patients are considered infectious while they have the characteristic rash and lesions which tend to scab over and fall off after a few weeksThe man did have a second rash which likely means he was infectious again the report saidOther patients tested positive for monkeypox on PCR tests up to four weeks after their rash disappeared No other patients experienced a relapseDr Adler warned more research was needed to confirm whether the virus could be transmissible after the hallmark rash has disappeared the report saidWe dont in our paper see any signal these patients are infectious for longer than the rash persisted But it is a very notable finding that has not been demonstrated before that changes our understanding of how the disease works he addedMonkeypox has for the first time been widespread in countries where it is not typically found The current outbreak has affected nearly 300 people spread across more than a dozen countries hile the virus itself is not a sexually transmitted infection which are generally spread through semen and vaginal fluids the most recent surge in cases appears to have been spread among men who have sex with other menThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever