Mpox

Facts for Prelims

Mpox

News: Recently, The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has witnessed a significant increase in Monkeypox(mpox) cases.

About:
• Monkeypox, also known as Mpox, is a viral infection caused by the monkeypox virus, a member of the Orthopoxviral genus in the family Poxviridae.
• The animal reservoirs for this virus are not monkeys, but small squirrels and rodents.
• It causes a rare zoonotic infection in communities in the rainforest belt of Central Africa, producing a vesicular rash that is indistinguishable from smallpox, but differentiated by the presence of lymphadenopathy.

Symptoms, Transmission and Treatment:
• Common symptoms of monkeypox are a skin rash or mucosal lesions which can last 2–4 weeks accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.
• Monkeypox can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with someone who is infectious, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals.
• There is no safe, proven treatment for monkeypox yet. The WHO recommends supportive treatment depending on the symptoms. Awareness is important for prevention and control of the infection.