Scientists who have tracked multiple monkeypox outbreaks in Africa say they are confused by the recent spread of the disease in Europe and North America.
Previously, cases of smallpox -related disease were only seen in people related to Central and West Africa. But in the past week, Britain, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the United States, Sweden and Canada have all reported infections, mostly among young men who have never traveled to Africa.
I was stunned here. I wake up every day and there are more and more infected countriessaid Oyewale Tomori, a virologist who previously headed the Nigerian Academy of Sciences and sat on several advisory boards ofWHO.
This is not the kind of spread we see in West Africa, so there may be something new happening in the West.he said.
So far, no one has died from the outbreak. Monkeypox often causes fever, chills, rash, and sores on the face or genitals. L ‘WHO the death rate of the disease is estimated at one in 10 people, but smallpox vaccines are protective and some antiviral drugs are in development.
British health officials are investigating whether the disease is sexually transmitted. They asked doctors and nurses to be alert for potential cases, while making sure the risk to the general population is low. The European Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all suspected cases be isolated and that high-risk contacts be offered the smallpox vaccine.
According to’WHO, Nigeria reports approximately 3000 cases of people infected with monkeypox each year. Outbreaks often occur in rural areas, when people come in close contact with infected rats and squirrels, Tomori said. He said many cases are unlikely to be reported.
“Atypical” epidemic
Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, head of the country’s Center for Disease Control, said none of the Nigerian contacts of patients in the UK had had symptoms and the investigation was ongoing.
The director ofWHO for Europe, Dr. Hans Kluge described, the epidemic as not typicalsaying the outbreak of the disease in so many countries across the continent has already been suggested the delivery is currently underway for some time. He noted that most cases in Europe are mild.
The UK Health Security Agency reported 11 new cases of monkeypox on Friday, it says which is a significant proportion Infections in the UK and Europe are in young men with no history of traveling to Africa who are gay, bisexual or have had sex with men.
Authorities in Spain and Portugal also said their cases involved young men who mostly had sex with other men. They said these cases were seen when men showed sores at sexual health clinics.
Experts emphasize that they do not know whether the disease is spread through sexual intercourse or through other close sexual intercourse related to intercourse.
Nigeria has not experienced sexual transmission, Tomori said, but he noted that viruses that were initially not known to be sexually transmitted, such as Ebola, eventually became, after larger outbreaks showed variety. a different pattern of spread.
The same may be true for monkeypox, Tomori pointed out.
In Germany, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said the government was confident the outbreak could be prevented. He said the virus is being monitored to see if there are any genetic changes that could be more contagious.
Contribute to unintentional spread
Rolf Gustafson, professor of infectious diseases, told the Swedish TV channel SVT that he very difficult to think that the situation could worsen.
We will certainly find more cases in Sweden, but I don’t think there will be an outbreak in any way.Mr. Gustafson believes, no one suggests it so far.
Scientists say it is possible the first patient of the epidemic contracted the disease in Africa. However, they describe what is happening today as an extraordinary situation.
We have never seen anything like it happening in Europesays the director of the African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Christian Happi, we found nothing indicating that monkeypox transmission patterns had changed in Africa. So if something strange is happening in Europe, Europe needs to investigate it.
Happi also pointed out that the suspension of smallpox vaccination campaigns after the disease was eradicated in 1980 may have inadvertently contributed to the spread of monkeypox. Smallpox vaccines also protect against monkeypox, but widespread vaccination was discontinued decades ago.
Aside from people in West and Central Africa who may have little immunity to smallpox from previous exposure, the absence of smallpox vaccination means that no one has any immunity to monkey pox.said Mr. Happi.
Shabir Mahdi, professor of vaccination at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, said a detailed investigation into the outbreak in Europe, including to determine who the first patients were, was now essential.
We really need to understand how it started and why the virus is now gaining tractionrecommended by the professor. In Africa, there has been a very controlled and infrequent outbreak of monkeypox. If this is changing, we really need to understand whyHe added.
Source: Radio-Canada
