Monkeypox: Is There Any Treatment to the Disease or Is It Another Pandemic to be Worried About?

As the world continues to combat COVID-19 and many countries are looking at ways to recover from this pandemic, monkeypox, another virus, has been making headlines globally for the past weeks.

Al Jazeera reported that the monkeypox virus is currently thought to be reaching close to 100 cases in 12 countries, and more are expected as surveillance is leveled up.

The first occurrence of this current outbreak was detected earlier this month in the United Kingdom, and so far, infections have been verified in nine European nations, including the UK, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, and France. It has also been confirmed in countries like the United States, Australia, and Canada.

Even though the first case identified in the UK was associated with travel to Nigeria, which reports about 3,000 cases of monkeypox each year, subsequent cases have not been traced back to Africa, which puzzles a lot of doctors and scientists.

What's unusual about this present outbreak is that occurrences are being diagnosed in countries where the said disease is a rare condition, and the fact that many cases being detected are not associated with Central and Western Africa is making this outbreak unprecedented.

Who Gets Infected?

This outbreak undoubtedly feels different in terms of past outbreaks outside Africa, a Virological.org report said. Other than the initial cases, many infected people have no connection to travel or any person from Africa.

Extraordinarily, the virus has been identified in a disproportionate number of men engaging in sexual intercourse with men.

Monkeypox may not be known to be a sexually transmitted disease, although sexual contact would comprise as close contact, one of the main routes by which the infection is known to circulate.

Perhaps, members of the LGBTQ community are better at getting sexual health checks; therefore, the virus is being picked up more here than in the heterosexual community.

Monkeypox is part of the same family the smallpox virus belongs to. Older generations may have received their vaccines against smallpox, eliminating the disease, not to mention offering them some protection against monkeypox.

It may be that with most younger people not being vaccinated as protection from smallpox, this virus has spread faster and more easily.

Potential Treatment

For most people, the signs and symptoms of monkeypox, detailed in a report from the World Health Organization, will resolve on their own, minus the need for any treatment. In this circumstance, rest, a lot of fluids, and good nutrition are all required.

The danger of severe illness may be greater in pregnant women, children, and those with weaker immune systems.

At present, there is no particular vaccine available for monkeypox, although the smallpox vaccine has been proven to provide 85 percent protection from monkeypox.

Furthermore, first-generation or original smallpox vaccines are no longer available to the general public. Scientific research is now underway to examine the feasibility and appropriateness of vaccination to control and prevent the disease.

An antiviral agent identified as tecovirimat formulated for smallpox was licensed by the European Medical Association for monkeypox in 2022 based on data in animal and human studies. However, it is not widely available.

Will This Be Another Pandemic to be Worried About?

Most researchers have agreed that this present monkeypox outbreak, though important to understand, is not likely to cause another pandemic similar to SARS-CoV-2.

This is not a new virus. It has been known for many years, and there's a good understanding of its structure and replication process.

Moreover, there's a good vaccine available already, in the form of the smallpox vaccine, as well as treatment options, if needed. The virus is spreading more slowly compared to the COVID-19 virus, as well as some of the vague symptoms caused by COVID-19.

Meaning, that those who are infected can be identified and vaccinated, or their close contacts can be isolated if needed.

There is some concern, though, that as summer nears and large gatherings like conventions and festivals become more common, close contact is likely to occur, and the virus may spread.

However, experts say there is no reason to panic even with the virus showing some new behavior and the specific likelihood that more cases will be identified in the coming weeks and months.

Related information about monkeypox is shown on BBC News Africa's YouTube video below:

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