Let's learn about this monkeypox virus first.
Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by monkeypox virus. The incubation period is usually 6- 13 days, and the longest is 2 1 day. Infected people will have symptoms such as fever, headache and swollen lymph nodes. Skin needles then appear on the face and other parts of the body, and gradually develop into pustules, which last for about several weeks and then scab. Once all the scabs fall off, the infected person is no longer contagious.
Source of infection: rodents infected with monkeypox virus. Primates (including monkeys, chimpanzees, humans, etc. ) infection can also become a source of infection.
Transmission routing
The virus invades the human body through mucous membranes and broken skin.
People are mainly infected by contacting pathological secretions, blood and other body fluids of infected animals, or being bitten or scratched by infected animals.
People spread it mainly through close contact, but also through droplets and contact with items contaminated by viruses.
It may be an infection or it may spread vertically through the placenta. Sexual transmission cannot be ruled out.
People are generally susceptible: people who have been vaccinated with smallpox vaccine have a certain degree of cross-protection against monkeypox virus.
What symptoms will appear after being infected with monkeypox?
First, there are chills and fever (mostly above 38.5℃), accompanied by headache, lethargy, fatigue, back pain and myalgia. Most patients have superficial lymphadenopathy in neck, armpit and groin.
Rash appears 1-3 days after onset, which is more common in face and limbs, and can also involve oral mucosa, digestive tract, genitals, conjunctiva and cornea. Rash ranges from macula, papule, herpes, pustule to scab. Herpes and pustules are mostly spherical, with a diameter of about 0.5- 1 cm. They are hard in texture and may be accompanied by obvious itching and pain.
After 2-4 weeks, the scab will fall off, ranging from erythema or pigmentation to scar, which can last for several years. Some patients may have complications, including secondary bacterial infection at the lesion site, severe dehydration caused by vomiting and diarrhea, bronchopneumonia, encephalitis and corneal infection.
How to prevent this monkeypox virus as an ordinary person?
Household disinfection is very important, it can help us kill bacteria and viruses hidden in the family environment and protect our health.
We can choose to use professional disinfection products, such as nano- 10-day long-acting disinfectant film, to disinfect the surfaces of objects that we often touch at home every week, such as doorknobs, desktops and electrical appliances. At the same time, it is also important to keep the home ventilated, and regularly clean and disinfect areas that are prone to bacteria such as toilets.
In addition to home disinfection, hand hygiene can not be ignored.
Our hands are the most exposed parts to germs, so it is very important to wash your hands frequently. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and tap water, especially after touching public places, going home, animals or garbage.
If there is no soap and water, you can use an antibacterial and antiviral spray that does not wash your hands and contains no alcohol to disinfect your hands, adding a protective layer to your hands. Also be careful not to touch your nose, mouth and eyes with dirty hands to prevent bacteria from spreading to your body through your hands.
If someone around you suffers from monkeypox, don't directly touch the patient or the patient's clothes, sheets and other items. If you need to take care of patients, wear masks and gloves to ensure personal safety.
Recently, the number of cases of monkeypox has increased, will it cause large-scale transmission?
On May 1 1, 2023, the World Health Organization announced that the monkeypox epidemic no longer constituted a "public health emergency of international concern". The disease is unlikely to spread on a large scale, and monkeypox infection is basically asymptomatic, so monkeypox virus is relatively easy to detect, control and treat. Although the number of cases of monkeypox in China has increased, it will not cause large-scale transmission, mainly because the detection kit is fast, the isolation measures are effective, and the risk of monkeypox transmission is relatively easy to control.