Monkeypox is the disease caused by monkeypox virus.

*Virus is a microorganism which is even smaller than a bacterium.

*Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease that is transferred from an animal to human being.

* Monkeypox has spreaded in 70 countries of the World including America, Africa etc.

* Presently we recorded two patients in Kerala and one patient in Delhi.

* WHO i.e. World Health Organisation declares monkeypox a Global Health Emergency.

* According to WHO it is very common in gays i.e. when MSM(Men Sex with Men).

Symptoms-

1)Fever

2)Headache

3) Swollen lymph nodes

4) A rash that forms blisters and then crusts over.

* The duration of symptoms is typically 2 to 4 weeks.

* Cases may be severe, especially in children, pregnant women or people with suppressed immune systems.

* Infection with monkeypox virus begins with an incubation period.

A person is not contagious during this period.

* Incubation period is roughly 1-2 weeks.

( Incubation period is the period between exposure to an infection and the appearance of first symptoms.)

* Can human to human transmission occur? How?

-Yes, it occurs through exposure to infected body fluids, contaminated objects, by small droplets and possibly the airborne route.

* Diagnosis-

It can be confirmed by testing a lesion for the virus's DNA.

Vaccination-

A newer smallpox and monkeypox vaccine based on modified vaccinia Ankara has been approved.

* Other measures-

1) Regular hand washing. 2) Avoiding sick people and other animals.

*The illness is usually mild and most of those infected will recover within a few weeks without treatment.

* The risk of death vary from 1% to 10%.

Treatments-

There are no treatments specifically for monkeypox virus infections. However, monkeypox and smallpox viruses are genetically similar which means that antiviral drugs developed to protect against smallpox may be used to prevent and treat monkeypox virus infections.

©®-Vishweshwar Kabade (A microbiologist cum a multilingual writer in Marathi,Hindi n English languages)