Mpox: Mumbai doctors highlight why the viral disease is deadly

Pakistan confirmed its third case of the Mpox variant last week It is the third in a series of cases being reported from around the world after Sweden the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African countries in the last monthThe rising number has even led the World Health Organization WHO to declare Mpox formerly called Monkeypox as a public health emergency of global concern In India experts have come out to suggest screening at the airports The rising number of cases is especially concerning because even India has seen rising cases of Mpox in the past particularly in 2022 Ever since then the WHO has reported 27 cases in India and one death from the diseaseKeeping the rising cases in mind middaycom spoke to Dr Chhaya Vaja internal medicine expert Apollo Spectra Mumbai and Dr Honey Savla internal medicine Wockhardt Hospitals Mumbai Central to know more about the disease and how it affects people They not only delve into the causes but also the effects treatment and severityWhat is Monkeypox and how is it causedVaja The Monkeypox virus was discovered in 1958 Even though this disease was named Monkeypox till that time the main reason behind its occurrence was not known The first human case of monkeypox was seen in 1970 However the World Health Organization changed the name of this disease in 2022 following the modern guidelines regarding the naming of diseases That guideline suggests disease names should avoid offending cultural social national regional professional or ethnic groups and was created to minimise unnecessary negative impacts on trade travel tourism or animal welfare However the virus that causes the disease still has its historical nameSavla Mpox previously referred to as monkeypox is a viral zoonotic infection that is caused by monkeypox virus and results in a rash similar to that of smallpox However historically persontoperson spread outside the household and mortality from mpox are significantly less than for smallpox The rash of mpox can also be similar in appearance to more common infectious rashes such as those observed in secondary syphilis herpes simplex infection and varicellazoster virus infectionThe WHO has declared it a public health emergency of global concern Why is the viral infection so deadlyVaja There are two types of mumps viruses Clade 1 and Clade 2 Clade 1 is a more serious disease than the others and can also cause death Despite this considering its seriousness it is not right to ignore it Clade 2 is the cause of the outbreak that started in 2022 However the symptoms in patients of this Clade 2 are indeed mild and 99 percent of people recover from this diseaseSavla The mortality associated with mpox varies In the 2023 outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo DRC where it is prevalent the estimated case fatality rate is 4 per cent overall but is 11 per cent in children under five years of age In earlier studies the fatality rate in Central Africa was reported as approximately 10 percent with deaths generally occurring in the second week of illness Hence its a global emergencyWho is most likely to suffer from the disease and why Is it seen more in males and femalesVaja Mpox is seen in children and adultsSavla Most patients diagnosed with mpox reported highrisk sexual behaviour for example sex with multiple partners as a potential risk factor It is commonly seen in men having sex with men Direct exposure to animals including exposure to ill prairie dogs urine and faeces without personal protection equipment PPE was felt to be the likely source of transmission although persontoperson transmission could not be entirely excludedWhat are the symptoms of Monkeypox and when should people visit the doctorVaja The symptoms include fever feeling cold swollen lymph nodes tiredness muscle and back pain headache respiratory problems such as sore throat nasal congestion and coughAlso Read lsquoChikungunya can be confused with malaria and denguersquo Mumbai doctors highlight symptoms treatmentWhat are the shortterm and longterm effects of MonkeypoxVaja The effects of monkeypox include painful rash enlarged lymph nodes and fever in the short term and severe complications like bacterial infection from skin lesions mpox affecting the brain encephalitis and heart myocarditisSavla Longterm effects will be known in the coming yearsCan Monkeypox be treated If not how can people take careVaja Antiviral drugs are used to treat monkeypoxSavla Most immunocompetent patients with mpox have mild disease and will recover without medical intervention However some patients may require pain relief medication for pain related to proctitis or tonsillitis In addition for conditions like proctitis stool softeners and sometimes sitz baths may need to be used Tecovirimat was the agent most commonly used since it was available through an expanded access investigational new drug EAIND protocol held by the CDC However data supporting the efficacy of antiviral therapy for patients with mpox are limitedHow can people prevent the disease What are the precautions that people takeVaja To prevent Mpox it is important to get vaccinated It is necessary to take both its recommended dosages within four weeks If for some reason there is a delay in getting the vaccine then it would be better to stay away from infected people Avoid coming in skintoskin contact with people Especially do not touch people who are seeing Mpoxlike rashes on their hands face chest mouth etc Avoid kissing or having sex with people infected with mumps If you belong to a place where this disease is spreading avoid touching animals in such places which carry the mumps virusSavla Here are some of the precautions that people can take1 Skin lesions should be covered with long sleeves long pants to minimise risk of contact with mpox lesions2 Patients should avoid sharing their used clothes towels food utensils or face masks with others and should not allow animals to access them3 Individuals with mpox should wear a wellfitting facemask when around others even if respiratory symptoms are not present Ideally household members should wear a facemask when in the presence of a person with mpox as well4 Household members providing care to patients with mpox should use disposable gloves for direct contact with lesionsAlso Read Rawdogging travel trend raises alarms Health experts warn of serious risksWhy are there increasing cases in African countries Sweden and Pakistan What is the prevalence in India and is there a possibility of it affecting people hereVaja From Africa to Sweden and now Pakistan mpox is spreading across the globe It is a concerning viral infection that spreads through close contact with the infected person At least 27 confirmed cases and one death due to Monkeypox have been reported in India since 2022 according to the WHO dataHow has monkeypox as a disease of concern evolved since it was first declared a health concern in 2022 by WHOVaja According to WHO data at least 99176 cases and 208 deaths from Mpox have been reported in 116 countries since 2022Can the symptoms of monkeypox be confused with any other disease in IndiaVaja The mpox rash may be similar to chickenpoxSavla Mpox can be confused with smallpox or chicken pox or shingles During the 2022 global outbreak even India reported cases of mpox albeit of the less deadly Clade 2 type Initially infections were reported among some people from Kerala who had a history of international travel However later even those without a history of international travel got infected in Delhi