Is Monkeypox Deadly?

TL;DR

Monkey pox, a rare viral disease, is spreading outside of its usual African regions, leading to multiple cases in countries like Portugal, Spain, the UK, and the USA. The outbreak raises concerns about transmission and the potential impact.

Transcript

this episode is sponsored by onedrive a subscription service where you can find the answer to everything you've ever wondered about and some things you never imagined you would wonder about head over to onedrive.com scishow for a free trial this month may 2022 more than 120 confirmed or suspected cases of a rare disease called monkey pox have been ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🙈 Monkey pox is an established disease but has recently seen an increase in cases outside its usual regions in central and west Africa.
• 🙈 The increase in monkey pox outbreaks may be linked to changes in human-animal contact and the decline in smallpox vaccination.
• 🧑 Monkey pox can be transmitted through contact with infected animals, contaminated materials, or person-to-person through close contact and possibly sexual contact.
• 🧑 The recent outbreak in non-endemic countries raises concerns about community or person-to-person transmission.

Questions & Answers

Q: What causes monkey pox and how does it spread?

Monkey pox is caused by a virus in the orthopox family, primarily transmitted through contact with infected animals or their products, like bites, scratches, or consumption of contaminated meat. It can also spread from person to person through contact with bodily fluids, respiratory secretions, or infected skin lesions.

Q: Why are monkey pox outbreaks becoming more frequent?

The increase in monkey pox outbreaks may be linked to changing circumstances, such as increased contact between humans and animals due to habitat loss. Additionally, the decline in smallpox vaccination, which provided some protection against monkey pox, may have contributed to the virus gaining more opportunities to infect unprotected individuals.

Q: How is monkey pox spreading to countries outside of Africa?

Monkey pox spreading to countries outside of Africa suggests potential community or person-to-person transmission. It can be spread through contaminated objects, like bedding, towels, or toothbrushes. Close contact and sexual contact may also contribute to transmission, although monkey pox is not considered a sexually transmitted infection.

Q: Are there vaccines and treatments available for monkey pox?

Vaccines and treatments developed for smallpox can provide some protection against monkey pox. Smallpox vaccines can be given as post-exposure prophylaxis up to four days after exposure to monkey pox. Antiviral drugs developed for smallpox are also effective against monkey pox. However, resource-rich countries have better access to vaccines and treatments compared to central and west Africa.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Monkey pox is a viral disease caused by a virus in the orthopox family, similar to cow pox and smallpox. It starts with flu-like symptoms and leads to fluid-filled bumps on the skin.

• The disease is zoonotic, meaning it spreads from animals to humans, likely through contact with infected animals, their bites, scratches, or consumption of contaminated meat.

• While monkey pox outbreaks have historically been limited to central and west Africa, the recent increase in cases may be due to changing circumstances, habitat loss, and the waning immunity from smallpox vaccination.