MPOX IN INDIA, BUT IT'S NOT TIME TO PANIC ABOUT A NEW PANDEMIC
India, on September 10, confirmed its first case of Mpox, nearly a month after the multi-country outbreak of the disease was categorised by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a 'public health emergency of international concern'.
Mpox, though, is not new, and it doesn't come from monkeys either. The first human case was identified way back in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The only reason it became associated with monkeys at all is because the disease was first identified in laboratory monkeys. "We still don't know which animal host transmitted the virus to humans, but my guess is rats," says Dr Tanu Singhal, an infectious diseases specialist at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai.
So, why is an over five-decades-old viral disease suddenly grabbing the world's attention? It is the origin of a new virus strain of Mpox, called Clade I Mpox, and its global community spread that is of concern. "This new variant transmits very easily and has slightly more severe symptoms. It is particularly dangerous to children and those with low immunity. Pregnant mothers can also pass the virus onto their newborns," says Dr Singhal.
In this current outbreak, an estimated 64 per cent of the cases and 85 per cent of fatalities have occurred in children. One of the reasons this new strain seems to have emerged is the waning of smallpox immunity. The smallpox and Mpox viruses are close cousins, coming from the same family of viruses. Virologists say the smallpox vaccine would have kept Mpox outbreaks at bay. But since smallpox got eradicated and the routine vaccinations were stopped, Mpox outbreaks began to increase in numbers and severity. "However, it was happening in African countries, so global prioritisation was not there," adds Dr Singhal.
A global outbreak of the Clade II strain in 2022-23 marked the first incidence of widespread community transmission of Mpox outside Africa. However, most countries hardly took it seriously. It is only the appearance of Clade I and its rapid transmission around the world that made it worrisome. "I don't think it will reach pandemic levels because there is still a significant number of people protected by smallpox vaccination," explains Dr Singhal.
However, experts say the appearance of Mpox in children is a sign the Indian government should start working on reproducing the smallpox vaccine. "The US and some other countries have many doses stockpiled of the smallpox vaccine since smallpox, at one time, was considered to be a biological weapon. It was lethal and could wipe out entire communities," says Dr Singhal.
As concern spreads, doctors advise not to panic or fall prey to misinformation on the internet. The safest option is to stay away from anyone with poxâthe characteristic bumps of the disease which can appear anywhere. "The disease mostly transmits from skin to skin contact," says Dr Singhal. Early symptoms include fever, muscle pain and sore throat, followed by an itchy or painful rash, headache, swollen lymph nodes and fatigue.
But it is the rash that patients have said is the worst. They can appear anywhere on the bodyâincluding the eye, potentially causing blindness. The rash is painful and takes a few weeks to turn into small bumps filled with fluid, then scabs before falling off. Till the scabs fall off, a person remains highly infectious.
Doctors say it is best to visit the nearest medical facility as soon symptoms appear.
Treatment remains largely symptomatic but it must be done under medical supervision to avoid further complications. As of now, Indians, while staying alert, have no reason to panic, and it's certainly not time to predict a new global pandemic or worry about stocking up on rice and toilet paper again.
2024-09-12T14:21:25Z dg43tfdfdgfd