The professor of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at EKPA, Theodora Psaltopoulou, appeared reassuring about the smallpox of monkeys, who speaking to SKAI stressed that at the moment we do not have a confirmed case in the country.
Ms. Psaltopoulou said that what worries him scientists is why there is such a large dispersion in some countries.
He also said that there are thoughts to return to the mandatory use of the mask indoors, emphasizing that the virus is also transmitted by droplets.
He noted that in the coming days the medical community will know if this is the case mutationwhile he clarified that the mortality from the disease is at 1-3%.
The dispersion of cases of the disease smallpox of monkeys growing around the world. For this reason it is necessary to inform the health professionals, to take the necessary precautionary measures, as well as the degree of transmissibility of the virus, emphasize the Doctors of the Therapeutic Clinic and the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Gianna Rentziou, Theodora Psaltopoulou, Maria Kantzanou, Giannis Danasis, Rodanthi Eleni Syrigou, Panos Malandrakis, Dimitra Paraskevos with the smallpox of monkeys as published in the scientific journal Nature.
Epidemiology-Pathogenesis-Clinical picture-Diagnosis-Treatment
The monkey pox virus belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus of the family Poxviridae, in the same genus as the variola virus, which causes smallpox and has been eradicated worldwide since 1980. Monkey pox virus was first discovered in 1958 in monkey colonies, while first identified in humans in 1970 in the Congo. Since then, there have been local outbreaks in West and Central Africa, with the latest and most significant outbreak in Nigeria with more than 500 confirmed and suspected cases. In Europe, and specifically in the United Kingdom, seven cases have been identified since 2018 – related to travel to endemic countries.
The incubation period is usually 5-21 days and the virus is transmitted between humans through the respiratory system by inhalation of large droplets and through contact with diseased skin lesions or contaminated materials. (eg bed linen or towels used by a patient). The disease is manifested by fever, headache, myalgias, lymphadenopathy and rash, which usually starts from the head and extends to the trunk, and includes the palms-soles. The rash first appears in the form of spots and papules, which develop into small blisters, blisters and then into crusts that eventually subside. This rash is sometimes confused with chickenpox rash. The disease usually lasts 2-4 weeks and in most cases is self-limiting. Diagnosis is made by isolating the virus in culture, detecting virus DNA by PCR in a clinical specimen, or detecting the presence of orthopox virus in tissues by immunohistochemical methods.
Treatment focuses mainly on improving symptoms. Regarding antiviral therapy, two drugs approved for the treatment of smallpox are also considered effective against monkeypox: tecovirimat, a treatment of choice in combination with brincidofovir in patients with severe disease. Mortality in African countries ranges between 1-10% for Central African executives, while for West African executives who are the ones identified in the recent outbreak in Europe, the mortality rate in Africa is around 3%. No deaths were reported in the outbreaks in the Western Hemisphere.
Why does monkey pox virus cause concern in public health?
One of the main reasons for concern is the sharp rise in cases, as by the afternoon of 21 May 145 cases (confirmed and suspected) have been recorded in 9 European countries as well as in the United States, Canada, Australia and Israel, points out Moritz Kraemer, PhD, Associate Professor at the University of Oxford. Another cause for concern is the possibility of human-to-human transmission without a history of travel to an endemic area, which means that there is horizontal transmission in the community. The biggest question is, as Andrea McCollum, an epidemiologist at the CDC Poxvirus Department, points out, how easily it is transmitted from person to person. For this reason, Mr. Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Diseases at the University of Minnesota, predicts the possibility of dynamic transmission of the virus due to its hitherto unknown transmissibility. Jennifer McQuinston, deputy director of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said: “given the confirmed cases in Portugal, and the suspected cases in Spain, and given the cases found in many countries of the world, it is still unknown how large the spread of the virus will be, and due to the frequent movements between countries, we will see cases in all the world».
Finally, Ms. Marion Koopmans, DVM, PhD, Director of Erasmus Division, which focuses on virus research, points out that the outbreak is starting to be alarming as cases occur in different countries, unusual for monkey pox virus that is not as contagious.
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