The World Health Organization declared a global health emergency on Wednesday, 14 August. Mpox has been declared a public health emergency for the second time in two years following an outbreak of the viral infection in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It has spread to neighbouring African countries. In a recent report, the health agency classified it as an “acute” Grade 3 emergency, the highest classification level, indicating the need for immediate and urgent attention.
Mpox spreads across West, Central, and East African countries, with cases also emerging in the Americas and Europe. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that more than 17,000 suspected mpox cases and 517 deaths had been reported on the African continent so far this year, a 160% increase compared to the same period last year.
In India, the first case was reported in 2022 in Kerala in a 35-year-old patient.
What is Mpox?
As the name suggests, monkeypox was first detected in monkeys in 1958 in Denmark. However, it primarily affects rodents and other small mammals.
The first human case of mpox was reported in 1970 in a nine-year-old boy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
It is a viral disease caused by the mpox virus, which belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus.
This zoonotic disease (transferred from animal to humans) stems from the Poxviridae family, whose viruses have also caused other diseases like smallpox, cowpox, vaccinia and more.
In 2022, the WHO renamed it from monkeypox to mpox to destigmatise the racist insinuations against a particular community following the outbreak that year.
There are two genetic groups of mpox and that can be spread through direct contact with an infected person: Clade I, found in Central and East Africa, and Clade II, associated with more cases in West Africa.
First of Mpox Strain Outside Africa
Sweden on Thursday confirmed its first case of mpox clade I, a viral infection that spreads through close contact and is a more dangerous variant of the mpox disease.
The Swedish government made the announcement marking the first case of the variant outside of Africa, adding that more cases are expected in the region in the coming days.
“We have now also during the afternoon had confirmation that we have one case in Sweden of the more grave type of mpox, the one called clade I,” Health and Social Affairs Minister Jakob Forssmed told a news conference on Thursday.
Symptoms of Mpox
The symptoms are similar to smallpox, including fever, headache, muscle aches, and a distinctive rash that often begins on the face and spreads to other body parts.
The symptoms last 2-4 weeks.
Children, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems are typically at higher risk of contracting the virus.
The virus is transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected animals, bodily fluids, or contaminated materials, and it can also spread from person to person through respiratory droplets or close contact.
Treatment For Mpox
WHO recommended supportive care for symptoms to be managed. There is no treatment for this virus.
Staying hydrated, eating nutritious meals, getting enough sleep and avoiding scratching their skin is recommended.
Basic hygiene needs to be maintained, such as washing your hands frequently.
The infected person is advised to cover themself with a mask or cloth till they are isolated.
What About Vaccines?
In January 2022, the European Medicines Agency approved tecovirimat, an antiviral originally developed to treat smallpox, for treating mpox under exceptional circumstances.
MVA-BN, LC16, and OrthopoxVac, developed for smallpox, are approved to prevent mpox. However, vaccination is only recommended for at-risk individuals, and the WHO does not endorse mass vaccination against mpox.
A while back, the WHO invited manufacturers of mpox vaccines to submit an Expression of Interest for Emergency Use Listing (EUL), given the worrying trends in the disease’s spread.
How to Test?
According to the WHO, the preferred laboratory test for mpox is the detection of viral DNA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Blood testing is not suggested. The best way to test an individual is to obtain samples directly from the rash, such as skin, fluid, or crusts, collected through vigorous swabbing. Testing can be performed using oropharyngeal, anal, or rectal swabs.
