Although infection with monkeypox during pregnancy is not fully understood, limited data suggest that infection may have adverse consequences for the fetus or newborn and the mother, according to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) report. can.
According to the global health body, while the current risk to the general public remains low. is a risk to healthcare workers if they are exposed to a case not wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent transmission; Although not yet reported in this current outbreak, the risk of health care-associated infections has been documented in the past.
“Should monkeypox begin to spread more widely and within more vulnerable groups, greater health impacts are likely because the risk of serious illness and mortality is thought to be higher in immunocompromised individuals, including individuals with poorly controlled HIV infection. are,” the report added.
However, the WHO said that so far, all cases identified in newly affected countries whose samples were confirmed by PCR have been identified as being infected with the West African clade.
It is important to note that there are two known groups of monkeypox viruses, one first identified in West Africa (WA) and one in the Congo Basin (CB) region.
The WA clade has been associated with an overall lower case fatality ratio (CFR) of monkeypox cases in many parts of the world in the past. To date, all cases identified in newly affected countries have been identified as being infected with the West African clade.
Outbreak at a Glance
Since 1 January 2022, cases of monkeypox have been reported to the WHO from 42 member states in five WHO regions (the Americas, Africa, Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Western Pacific). As of 15 June, the WHO has reported a total of 2,103 laboratory confirmed cases and one probable case, including one death.
A confirmed case of monkeypox in a country is considered an outbreak. The initial absence of epidemiological links to areas that have historically reported monkeypox suggests the unexpected presence of monkeypox in many areas that may have been undetected transmission for some time.
The WHO considers the risk to be moderate at the global level, noting that this is the first time that multiple monkeypox cases and clusters have been reported simultaneously in many countries in widely varying geographic regions, against the fact that Balanced is that the death rate in the current outbreak remains low.
who advises
All countries should be on alert for signs related to patients presenting with a rash progressing in successive stages to macules, papules, vesicles, pustules, scabs at the same stage of development in all affected areas of the body associated with fever . , Enlarged lymph nodes, back pain and muscle pain.
During this current outbreak, many individuals are presenting with unusual symptoms, including a localized rash that may be as small as a lesion.
Some patients may also present with sexually transmitted infections and should be tested and treated appropriately. These individuals may attend a variety of community and health care settings, including primary and secondary care, fever clinics, sexual health services, infectious disease units, obstetrics and gynecology, emergency departments and dermatology clinics.
Anyone who meets the definition of a suspected case should be offered the test.
The WHO said it was monitoring the situation closely and supporting international coordination working with member states and partners.