MONKEYPOX

Monkeypox is a viral disease that resembles smallpox, but unlike smallpox, is

acquired from animals. Monkeypox virus is endemic in western and central Africa, where it
circulates in unknown animal hosts and emerges periodically to affect humans. Monkeypox
results from infection by the monkeypox virus, a member of the genus Orthopoxvirus in the
family Poxviridae (subfamily Chordopoxvirinae). (Anna Spickler, 2013)
Transmission The virus can spread both from animal to human, and from human to
human with transmission occurring when a person comes into contact with the virus from an
infected animal, human, or materials contaminated with the virus. The virus enters the body
through broken skin (even if not visible), the respiratory tract, or the mucous membranes (of
the eyes, nose, or mouth). (NCDC, 2017)
The incubation period (interval from infection to onset of symptoms) of monkeypox is
usually from 6 to 16 days but can range from 5 to 21 days. The infection can be divided into
two periods (NCDC, 2017):
 The invasion period (0-5 days): this is characterised by fever, intense headache,
lymphadenopathy (swelling of lymph nodes), back pain, myalgia (muscle ache) and
an intense asthenia (lack of energy);
 The skin eruption period (within 1-3 days after appearance of fever): this period is
where the various stages of the rash appears, often beginning on the face and then
spreading elsewhere on the body.
The general population is not currently vaccinated in endemic areas of Africa. Any
consideration of routine vaccination in healthy people must evaluate the risks and expense of
the vaccine, as well as the benefits, in that population. Measures that can be taken to prevent
infection with monkeypox virus include (NCDC, 2017) :
 Avoiding direct contact with animals that could harbor the virus including sick or
dead animals especially in areas where monkeypox occurs
 Avoiding contact with any material that has been in contact with a sick animal.
 Isolation of infected patients from others who could be at risk for infection.
 Hand washing with soap and water after contact with infected animals.
 Wearing gloves and protective equipment when taking care of ill people.
 Regular hand washing after caring for, or visiting sick people.
 Thoroughly cooking all animal products before eating
  Implementation of standard infection control precautions by health workers.
 Isolating potentially infected animals from other animals
 Immediate quarantine of any animals that might have come into contact with an
infected animal, handling them with standard precautions and observing for
monkeypox symptoms for 30 days.
 Public health education that raises awareness of the risk factors and educates people
about the measures they can take to reduce exposure to the virus.
Therefore, tecovirimat is the only currently available antipoxvirus therapeutic agent,
and it is stockpiled as part of the US Strategic National Stockpile for use as a defense to treat
smallpox virus infections in the event of a possible bioterrorist attack. Nevertheless, the
smallpox vaccine, although with limited use due to cost and safety concerns of a live vaccinia
virus vaccine, is cross protective against many orthopoxviruses, including MPXV. Isolation
of infected patients, good infection control measures and ring vaccination are helpful in
preventing person-to-person transmission (Auwal Kabuga dan Mohamed Zowalaty, 2018).
 DAFTAR PUSTAKA

Spickler, Anna Rovid. 2013. Monkeypox. The Center For Food Security and Public Health.
Federal Ministry of Health-Nigeria Centre For Disease Control. 2017. Interim National
Guidelines for Monkeypox Outbreak Response.
Kabuga, Auwal dan Zowalaty, Mohamed. 2018. A Review of The Monkeypox Virus anda A
Recent Outbreak of Skin Rash Disease in Nigeria. Wiley Periodicals, Journal of Medical
Virology.