Panic's new name is Monkey Pox
What is this monkeypox?
Monkeypox is called zoonotic disease, which means it affects animals. It can spread to people from there. The name suggests that it is a genus of the known pox virus. However, it is more similar to smallpox. Smallpox began to cause disease in the human body about 3-4 thousand years ago. However, the history of monkeypox is not so old. Although of the same clan, the incidence of the disease is less than that of relatives, so death is also rare.
Studies have shown that vaccinating smallpox can reduce the incidence of monkeypox or reduce the risk of disease in 75% of cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced in 1970 that the smallpox vaccine had been widely used by Edward Jenner in 1896, and that the disease had been eradicated in 1980. Then the rate of vaccination naturally decreases rapidly. The rate of smallpox vaccination was 80% in 1980, but today that figure has dropped to 30% or less. In many countries, 80% of the young population does not get or do not get smallpox vaccine. But they are at risk of monkeypox.
The origin of monkeypox
But why monkeypox? It is said that the disease is spread from monkeys? Or just say monkeys are? The truth is that this is not the case, because even today scientists are not sure exactly which animal is the source of the Monkeypox bacterium, and in what process it is infected.
So where did the name MonkeyPix come from? The disease was first discovered in 1958 in a macaque monkey brought from Singapore, Denmark. These macaws were brought in for research. Monkeypox became the first monkey to be named.
About a century after the discovery of the human monkeypox, in the village of Bukenda, then in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). In a nine-year-old child, monkeypox wakes up with a lot of smallpox-like symptoms. Then the rate of smallpox has barely started to decrease. MonkeyPix later filled that gap in Zaire. Now it has become a common disease there. The disease spread from Zaire to other countries in Africa. In 2016, there was a large outbreak of monkeypox in Nigeria. The disease first appeared in the West in 2003, when doctors in the United States diagnosed the disease. The source is identified as a group of rodents brought from Ghana for sale as pets. From them, monkeys spread to humans as dogs and dogs. A total of 48 confirmed and suspected patients were identified. However, no one was killed. Authorities urged everyone who came in contact with them to get the Smallpox vaccine.
The current situation
In 2022, the infestation of monkeypox has started anew in the western countries. On May 8, a tourist from Nigeria was diagnosed with monkeypox. On 14 May, the UK Health Security Agency reported two more patients. The two, however, live in the UK, and have no recent history of traveling to Africa. Even information about their meeting with any of the monkeypox patients is not available.
From then until the writing of this article (May 22, 2022; 11 PM), according to the World Health Organization, 92 patients in 13 countries have been confirmed to have monkeypox. 26 cases are under investigation. Affected countries include Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Israel and the United States. Monkeypox is widespread in Africa, but why are scientists afraid? Outbreaks appear to be exacerbated during this time. In all cases, patients were brought from Africa in the past. But in the present cases there is no history of travel to Africa. The answer is still unknown.
Infection
It is thought that direct contact with blood, pus, saliva, etc., is one of the reasons for the spread of monkeypox in animals. This disease is more common in rats, monkeys and various species of rodents. However, it is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post. There is evidence that monkeypox is spread through coughing, phlegm, blood, etc. in humans.
One of the major causes of the current outbreak of monkeypox is the rapid spread of the virus from human to human. According to William Hannaz, this is rare because it has never been seen outside of Africa.
Symptoms of the disease
The monkeypox remains silent for 5-21 days after entering the human body, during which time they reproduce themselves. When the level of germs in the blood reaches a certain level, various problems start.
Usually, the onset of fever is a physical illness. As well as headaches, neck pain, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes (throat or cheek swelling may occur). After 1-3 days of fever, pox rash starts appearing on the skin. This rash is more common on the face and hands and feet. Monkeypox is not usually a deadly disease. Suffers, but in 2-4 weeks the body gets better. Mortality is extremely rare, occurring in 1-10% of cases. However, the risk of young children is a little higher.
Diagnosis and treatment
Physicians can diagnose monkeypox by looking at the patient. Some experiments are also done. It is possible to identify germs with juice or other ingredients from the rash.
Medicine means rest, eating healthy food, drinking enough water, medicines for fever. If any other infection is detected in the body of the patient, his treatment should also be given. No antibiotic that works for the monkeypox virus has yet been discovered, although the European Medical Association has approved a drug called tecovirimat. It was created by targeting Smallpox.
Remedy is always better than resistance. It is possible to control monkeypox by reintroducing smallpox vaccination. People who come in contact with the patient can be vaccinated on an emergency basis. Especially those who work in the health sector are at higher risk, so they may be the first to be covered by this vaccine. In addition, they must ensure the use of good quality personal protective equipment (masks, gloves, etc.).
