Published 22 hours ago,
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The English health authorities are warning against monkeypox, when they have just identified 7 cases of the disease in recent days. What is this virus? Should we be worried? The point with Dr. Bruno Pelletier, scientific manager of the Jane Goodall Institute in Paris.
The first case of monkeypox was identified in the UK in early May. This patient is said to have contracted the disease after a trip to Nigeria. Since then, according to the British Health Security Agency (UKHSA), a total of 7 cases have been identified, for the moment, some of which would have been contaminated on English soil. In Portugal, the authorities say they are investigating about twenty suspected cases. In Spain, 8 suspected cases are being analysed.
What is monkeypox?
Called “monkeypox” in English, monkeypox is a pathology caused by a virus that mainly occurs in tropical rainforest areas in central and western Africa.
This viral disease of the orthopoxvirus family “is transmitted by aerosol or by excretions, such as nasal excretions or saliva” explains Dr. Pelletier. “It is a zoonosis, a pathology that has passed from animals (living or recently dead) to humans and which now seems to be transmitted between humans. adds the specialist.
flu-like symptoms
Symptoms of monkeypox resemble those of smallpox, according to Dr. Pelletier. “We find a general flu-like state, with headaches, fever, lymph nodes all over the body, in large numbers, chills, fatigue, muscle pain and local skin lesions on the body. adds the specialist. On average, monkeypox lasts between 5 and 21 days, mortality remains low (less than 10%) and crusts from lesions can leave scars on the body.
For the moment, no death is to be deplored. However, affected patients have been hospitalized for further care. The doctors noted that of the 7 cases, four declared themselves to be homosexual, bisexual or having sex with other men.
The question of sexual contamination therefore arises, but has not yet been established. It is also too early to classify this virus as a sexually transmitted infection (STI). However, scientists invite this population in particular to be vigilant about possible symptoms.
No imminent risk but to watch
For the health authorities as for Dr. Pelletier, the risk of a massive contamination of the population by this virus is “low”, because it requires close contact. “But we must monitor the virus from an epidemiological point of view” says Dr. Pelletier, “as for all zoonoses because we are never immune to a mutation”. Before concluding by explaining that in the future, “70% of emerging viruses will be from animals, especially wild animals..