What do you need to know about Mpox (Monkeypox) disease!

Warning about the symptoms, treatment methods and precautions of Mpox (Monkeypox) disease, Prof. Murat Kalemoğlu stated that the disease spreads by respiratory droplets caused by touching, kissing, and materials such as contaminated sheets, clothes or needles, and prolonged close contact with face to face (talking or breathing).

Pointing out the importance of differentiating Mpox from chickenpox, measles, bacterial skin infections, scabies, herpes, syphilis, other sexually transmitted infections and drug-related allergies, Prof. Kalemoğlu said that "It is very important to test so that people receive treatment as early as possible and prevent further spread."

Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine faculty member Prof. Murat Kalemoğlu shared important information about Mpox (monkeypox) disease and warned about the symptoms of the disease, ways of transmission, treatment methods and precautions.

It can be transmitted from person to person

Prof. Murat Kalemoğlu stated that Mpox (monkeypox) disease is known as an infectious disease caused by a virus belonging to the Orthopoxvirus, which occurs with symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches and skin rashes, and stated that the disease can be transmitted from person to person and can be spread especially through physical contact, contaminated materials or contact with infected animals.

Kalemoğlu stated that "Laboratory analysis of Mpox is done by testing the skin lesion by PCR. Mpox is treated with supportive care. Vaccines and therapeutics developed for smallpox and approved for use in some countries can be used for Mpox in some cases.” Kalemoğlu also added that a global Mpox outbreak in 2022-2024 was caused by a strain known as "Klade IIb".

Vaccination can help prevent infection for people at risk

Stating that Mpox (monkeypox) disease can be prevented by avoiding physical contact with someone who has Mpox, Prof. Murat Kalemoğlu expressed that "Vaccination can help prevent infection for people at risk."

Most people recover completely, but some get very sick

Stating that Mpox (monkeypox) disease can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever, Prof. Murat Kalemoğlu said that "Most people recover completely, but some get very sick. Mpox can spread from person to person or sometimes from animals to humans. Following the eradication of smallpox in 1980 and the end of smallpox vaccination worldwide, Mpox emerged steadily in central, eastern, and western Africa. A global pandemic occurred in 2022-2023.”

The disease can also be spread through contaminated sheets or clothing

Explaining that the transmission of Mpox from person to person can occur through direct contact with other lesions such as infectious skin, mouth or genitals, Prof. Murat Kalemoğlu stated that "Anyone can get the Mpox virus. The disease is spread between people through touching, kissing or sex, through contaminated materials such as sheets, clothing or needles, by respiratory droplets from prolonged close contact with face to face (talking or breathing) or short-range aerosols (such as front and back row seats on an airplane, public transportation, indoor spaces).

Environments such as tattoo studios are also risky

Stating that the virus enters the body through injured skin, mucosal surfaces (e.g. oral, pharyngeal, ocular, genital, anorectal) or respiratory tract, Prof. Murat Kalemoğlu said that "Mpox can spread to other members of the household and sex partners. People who have more than one sexual partner are at higher risk. Animal-to-human transmission of Mpox occurs from infected animals to humans through bites or scratches, or during activities such as hunting, skinning, trapping food, playing with carrion, or eating animal flesh. People can contract Mpox from contaminated objects such as clothing or sheets, through stab wounds in health care, or in community settings such as tattoo studios."

The first symptom of Mpox is redness

Noting that Mpox disease usually causes signs and symptoms that start within a week, but it can start 1-21 days after exposure, Prof. Murat Kalemoğlu stated that "Symptoms typically last 2-4 weeks but may last longer in a person with a weakened immune system. Common symptoms of Mpox include fever, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, back pain, weakness, and swollen lymph nodes. For some people, the first symptom of Mpox is redness, while others may have different symptoms first. The rash begins as a flat wound that becomes a blister filled with fluid and can be itchy or painful. As the rash heals, the lesions dry out, crust over, and fall off. Some people may have one or a few skin lesions, while others may have hundreds or more of the skin lesions. They can appear anywhere on the body.”

The first lesion may be in the groin, in or around the mouth

Prof. Murat Kalemoğlu stated that in the context of the global Mpox epidemic that started in 2022 (mostly caused by the Klade IIb virus), the disease starts differently in some people, in a little more than half of the cases, the rash can appear before or at the same time as other symptoms, and reminded that the first lesion can be in the groin, anus, in or around the mouth.

It can also cause death

Explaining that it can cause pneumonia, corneal infection with loss of vision, pain or difficulty swallowing, vomiting and diarrhea that causes severe dehydration or malnutrition, sepsis (infection of the blood with a widespread inflammatory response in the body), inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis), rectum (proctitis), genital organs (balanitis) or urinary tract inflammation (urethritis) or death in some patients, Prof. Murat Kalemoğlu noted that "People more often develop serious illness if they suffer from the immunosuppression due to medication or medical conditions have a higher risk of serious illness and death due to Mpox and HIV that is not well controlled or treated.

Early treatment and prevention of spread are very important

Pointing out the importance of differentiating Mpox from chickenpox, measles, bacterial skin infections, scabies, herpes, syphilis, other sexually transmitted infections and drug-related allergies, Prof. Murat Kalemoğlu stated that "A person with Mpox can also have another sexually transmitted infection, such as herpes. Alternatively, a child with suspected Mpox may also have chickenpox. For these reasons, it is very important to get tested so that people receive treatment as early as possible and prevent further spread. Detection of viral DNA by PCR is the laboratory test of choice for Mpox."

Treatment and vaccination

Stating that getting the Mpox vaccine can help prevent infection, Prof.Murat Kalemoğlu said that "The vaccine should be given within 4 days (or up to 14 days if there are no symptoms) after contact with someone who has Mpox. It is recommended that people at high risk get vaccinated to prevent infection with Mpox, especially during an outbreak. This includes, health care workers at risk of exposure, sex workers. People with Mpox should be cared for away from other people. Quarantine should be imposed," he said.

People who have received the Classic Smallpox Vaccine are thought to be 85 percent resistant

Stating that various antivirals such as tecovirimat, which were originally developed to treat smallpox, were used to treat Mpox and further studies continued, Prof. Murat Kalemoğlu said that "It is stated that the Mpox vaccine, especially the vaccines produced with the Ankara virus strain, have clinical importance. New mRNA vaccine development studies are ongoing. In the meantime, 85 percent of people who have received the classic Smallpox Vaccine are thought to be resistant to this virus. Traces of vaccination are on the left arm or forearm. In general, this vaccine was not made in our country after 1980."

Self-care and prevention

Noting that most people with Mpox recover within 2-4 weeks, Prof. Murat Kalemoğlu continued his remarks as follows: "If you have Mpox, tell everyone you have been close to recently, stay at home until all the scabs fall off and a new layer of skin forms, cover the lesions and wear a well-fitting mask when around other people, and avoid physical contact. If possible, stay at home and in your own room. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or hand sanitizer, especially before or after touching wounds. Wear a mask and cover the lesions when you are around other people until your rash heals. Keep the skin dry and exposed (unless you are in a room with someone else). Avoid touching items in shared spaces and disinfect shared spaces frequently. Use salt water mouthwashes for sores in the mouth. For body wounds, take sitz baths or warm baths with baking soda or Epsom salts (Magnesium sulfate). Take over-the-counter medications for pain, such as paracetamol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen."

What not to do!

Giving information about what not to do, Prof. Murat Kalemoğlu said that "Do not shave the injured areas until the blisters or scratch wounds or scabs have healed and you have a new skin underneath, which can slow down healing, spread the rash to other parts of the body, and cause the wounds to become infected (this can spread the redness to other parts of the body). To prevent the spread of Mpox to others, people with Mpox should be isolated at home or in the hospital if necessary during the infectious period (from the onset of symptoms until the lesions heal and the scabs fall off). Covering lesions and wearing a medical mask when around others can help prevent the spread. Using a condom during sex helps reduce the risk of getting Mpox, but it does not prevent spread from skin-to-skin or mouth-to-skin contact."

 

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)