Monkeypox was first discovered when a smallpox-like disease emerged in laboratory monkey colonies. Therefore, the disease was named “monkeypox.” The monkeypox virus was first observed in humans in 1970 in a 9-year-old boy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. After the initial diagnosis, most cases were reported in the rainforest and rural areas of the countries. In May 2022, several non-endemic cases of monkeypox were detected in a few countries.
The monkeypox virus has two distinct genetic groups: West and Central African. The Central African virus, which is contagious in humans, has more severe side effects than the West African virus and has a high mortality rate.
What is the Monkeypox Virus?
Monkeypox virus is defined as a viral infection caused by a virus called Orthopoxvirus, which belongs to the Poxviridae family. The disease, which is particularly common in the tropical rainforests of West and Central Africa, has spread to other countries over time.
Monkeypox is a disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans and typically causes symptoms lasting 2 to 4 weeks. The disease can cause serious medical complications and severe cases may occur. Recently, monkeypox virus-related mortality rates have been reported to be between 3% and 6%.
What are the Symptoms of Monkeypox Virus?
The incubation period of the monkeypox virus, which covers the time from infection to the onset of symptoms, can typically range from 6 to 13 days or 5 to 21 days. Monkeypox virus symptoms can generally be listed as follows:
- Fever
- Intense headache
- Rash, redness
- Swelling of the lymph nodes
- Muscle pains
- Weakness
The skin rash that appears on the body usually begins 1 to 3 days after the onset of fever. The mentioned rashes are seen more on the face than on the body. In advanced cases, it can affect the hands and soles of the feet. The rash may develop as flat raised lesions, slightly raised firm lesions, lesions filled with clear fluid, and lesions filled with yellowish fluid. Over time, they dry out and turn into flaky crusts. The density of lesions on a person's body may vary depending on the severity of the disease. In severe cases of monkeypox, lesions may merge to cover a large portion of the skin.
Monkeypox cases, whose symptoms last between 2 and 4 weeks, are more common in children. The degree of exposure to the disease may vary depending on the patient's health status and the severity of their symptoms. A weakened immune system may pose a risk against infectious agents.
Although vaccinations against smallpox in the past were effective, individuals between the ages of 40 and 50 today may be susceptible to monkeypox virus due to the complete eradication of smallpox and the discontinuation of vaccination programs.
Historically, the mortality rate of monkeypox virus cases has ranged from 0% to 11% in the general population.
How is Monkeypox Virus Diagnosed?
The differential diagnosis to consider in monkeypox virus begins with distinguishing it from other rash diseases such as chickenpox, measles, skin infections, drug-induced allergies, and scabies. During the symptomatic phase of the disease, swollen lymph nodes may exhibit clinical features that distinguish monkeypox from chickenpox or smallpox.
The PCR test is the laboratory test that should be prioritized for monkeypox diagnosis, considering its accuracy and sensitivity. With the PCR test, the DNA found in samples collected from patients' lesions or swabs is artificially amplified, and the type of viral DNA in the sample is identified. When deemed necessary, biopsy may also be used as an option for accurate diagnosis.
Is the Monkeypox Virus Contagious? How is It Transmitted?
Monkeypox is a virus that can be transmitted from animals to humans. Looking back, only a limited number of human-to-human transmission cases have been observed, and the estimated transmission rate has varied between 3.3% and 30%. However, during the recent outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the risk of transmission was reported to be 73%. Individuals who are infected or at risk of infection may be contagious from one day before symptoms appear until 21 days after the first symptoms appear, even if they do not exhibit any symptoms.
Monkeypox is usually transmitted for the following reasons:
- Contact with an infected person or animal
- Contact with infected materials
- Body fluids
- Lesions
- Respiratory droplets (With face-to-face conversation)
Transmission by droplet often requires long-term face-to-face contact. The recent increase in person-to-person transmission rates may be due to declining immunity in the general population as a result of the smallpox vaccine no longer being administered.
How Can We Protect Ourselves from Monkeypox Virus?
There are a number of precautions that can be taken to protect against monkeypox virus. These measures can be listed as follows:
- Avoiding contact with animals that may harbor viruses,
- Avoiding contact with any materials such as bedding, towels, and clothing belonging to infected individuals or those at risk of infection,
- Ensuring the isolation of infected people,
- Performing thorough hand washing after contact with infected animals or people, frequently use alcohol-based hand sanitizer,
- Consuming only well-cooked meats.
How is the Monkeypox Virus Treated?
Raising awareness about monkeypox risk factors and informing individuals about the precautions they can take to reduce exposure to the virus can be considered the primary prevention strategy for the disease. As with many viral diseases, monkeypox virus treatment may proceed in the form of managing supportive symptoms. Along with all this, methods such as smallpox vaccination, antivirals, and vaccine immunoglobulin (VIG) can be used to control the monkeypox outbreak.
Scientific studies are ongoing to evaluate the suitability of vaccination for the prevention and control of monkeypox.
Has Monkeypox Virus Been Detected in Türkiye?
Following recent cases of monkeypox virus detected in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Canada, Italy, and Sweden, the first case in Türkiye was identified on Thursday, June 30.