On July 23, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared monkeypox a public health emergency. Because the historically rare infection has spread rapidly after being detected in the UK, misinformation about its contraction has also spread.

The way in which monkeypox attacks the immune system is distinct and can’t be in comparison with other viruses like chickenpox. “So far as the immune system is anxious, in most other viral infections, the human body generates Cytokines which might be capable of counter the virus,” states Dr. Manoj Gandhi, Senior Medical Director at ThermoFisher Scientific and Symptomatic Testing Solutions. “Nevertheless, monkeypox seems to have specific genes that prevent the activation of those Cytokines and inhibits our immune system.” Simply put, the monkeypox virus attacks a particular protein that fights infection. With that protein being weak, the virus can infiltrate and cripple our immune system.

Essentially the most apparent symptom of monkeypox is a rash. “It generally starts within the face and spreads to your entire body. It may be mistaken for an STI,” Dr. Manoj elaborates. Other symptoms include fever, headache, chills, and exhaustion. Though it is just not comparable to many viruses, an underlying similarity to COVID-19 is that it may possibly be contracted through contact.

Before 2022, monkeypox cases were primarily reported in Central and West Africa, leading to two different variants, a Central African variant and West African variant. If it was contracted by someone who was not a resident of Africa, their case was linked to their international travel or imported animals. The CDC website states that in 1958, the primary case was discovered in monkeys, hence the virus’ name. The CDC website also mentions that there isn’t any documentation of a human contracting the virus until 1970. “Prior to the primary cases that were identified amongst humans, it was spread animal to animal, after which human to animal, after which subsequently, animal to human. At this point, particularly in the USA, it’s spread human to human,” confirms Dr. Jessie Kimborough Marshall, an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor on the University of Michigan. 

In keeping with the press conference held by WHO on July 27, there are actually over 18,000 cases across 78 countries. Seventy percent of cases are reported in Europe and twenty-five percent from the Americas. As of July 29, the USA has 4,907 confirmed cases. Public health officials imagine the reported numbers are inaccurate due to under-testing and under-reported symptoms, however the outbreak won’t be treated similar to COVID-19.

The US has had a relaxed approach to containing the virus, and concerns have surfaced. The primary case within the U.S. was reported in May of 2022 and spread from there. 

Unlike COVID-19, monkeypox is just not respiratory. “

“It may be spread by respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact. Unlike COVID-19, monkeypox is is just not known to linger within the air or spread during temporary shared of airspace, per the CDC,” says Dr. Jessie. It’s less contagious; subsequently, public health control measures won’t be as extreme. Dr. Jessie says the usis primarily coping with the less aggressive variant. “So far as the outbreak that the U.S. is experiencing, it’s the West African type, which is less severe,” she says. Hospitalizations are at 10%, and five deaths were reported worldwide. The hospitalizations are from extreme pain attributable to the virus and no casualties were reported in the USA. Those statistics suggest that the virus has a lower impact than COVID-19; subsequently, a distinct approach shall be taken to contain the virus. But that doesn’t insinuate the virus mustn’t be taken seriously.

Anyone will be vulnerable to contracting the virus. Monkeypox is spread from skin-to-skin contact, close proximity, or sharing materials but mainly from sexual intercourse, as seen in reports. Since 98% of cases reported to WHO are from men who’ve had sex with other men, it breeds the misunderstanding that monkeypox is an LGBTQIA+- only virus. That is just not true.

“The lack of know-how and considering that is anyone else’s problem, not mine, is just not the primary time we’ve seen this occur with emerging viruses which have gone into pandemic levels like HIV,” Dr. Jessie says. The stigma across the virus is dangerous. “The reality of the matter is that anyone who’s in close contact with a one that has monkeypox might be vulnerable to getting it,” Dr. Manoj adds. That also eliminates the misinterpretation that monkeypox is an STI. “People have this other misconception that it’s sexually transmitted. It is just not an STI. You simply must be in close proximity/ physical contact with that person. It will be unfair to say this can be a disease only specific to the LGBTQIA+ community,” he validates.

Eliminating the spread by increased awareness and testing are the following steps. Any rash needs to be tested and treated as if it might be monkeypox. In case you are experiencing any symptoms, it is recommended that you just take a PCR test to find out when you contracted the virus. Though the World Health Organization doesn’t recommend mass vaccination for monkeypox, a vaccine has been approved in the USA, Canada, and European Union and is on the market for those at high risk of contraction.