Health experts in Texas and the U.S. believe that monkeypox infections will continue to rise exponentially.
The disease is not deadly and doesn’t usually lead to hospitalization, although symptoms can be much more severe in patients who are immunocompromised.
The current outbreak is the second in the U.S., but by far the largest. Here’s what you need to know about the virus.
What are its origins?
The virus has been endemic in parts of Africa for decades but rarely makes it outside that continent. The first time it did, in 2003, the outbreak had Texas roots.
Some 70 people across the U.S. caught monkeypox from infected pet prairie dogs that had been imported through a Texas company and housed near rodents from Ghana.
In addition to the humans who are infected, the virus can also be found in rodents and nonhuman primates in Africa — but world health officials say there is still uncertainty over the natural origins of monkeypox.
The virus has been reported outside that continent only a handful of times, often in single cases, almost always through travelers. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is monitoring the current outbreak.
What are the symptoms?
While most cases, particularly in the current outbreak, are not severe, monkeypox is nothing to ignore, said Dr. Jason Bowling, epidemiologist at University Health in San Antonio.
It causes painful, pus-filled blisters and lesions on the skin, along with fever and swollen lymph nodes in the early stages of infection. It can last from a few days to a month. And that can put someone in isolation for weeks to avoid spreading it, which can disrupt working and child care.
The virus is occasionally confused with chickenpox, herpes or syphilis due to the nature and location of the lesions.
How does the virus…
Health experts in Texas and the U.S. believe that monkeypox infections will continue to rise exponentially.
The disease is not deadly and doesn’t usually lead to hospitalization, although symptoms can be much more severe in patients who are immunocompromised.
The current outbreak is the second in the U.S., but by far the largest. Here’s what you need to know about the virus.
What are its origins?
The virus has been endemic in parts of Africa for decades but rarely makes it outside that continent. The first time it did, in 2003, the outbreak had Texas roots.
Some 70 people across the U.S. caught monkeypox from infected pet prairie dogs that had been imported through a Texas company and housed near rodents from Ghana.
In addition to the humans who are infected, the virus can also be found in rodents and nonhuman primates in Africa — but world health officials say there is still uncertainty over the natural origins of monkeypox.
The virus has been reported outside that continent only a handful of times, often in single cases, almost always through travelers. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is monitoring the current outbreak.
What are the symptoms?
While most cases, particularly in the current outbreak, are not severe, monkeypox is nothing to ignore, said Dr. Jason Bowling, epidemiologist at University Health in San Antonio.
It causes painful, pus-filled blisters and lesions on the skin, along with fever and swollen lymph nodes in the early stages of infection. It can last from a few days to a month. And that can put someone in isolation for weeks to avoid spreading it, which can disrupt working and child care.
The virus is occasionally confused with chickenpox, herpes or syphilis due to the nature and location of the lesions.
How does the virus…Read Morelocal_news
