The first case of viral infection in humans, which would otherwise infect simians, was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Infectious disease experts say there have been very few cases of monkeypox outside of Central and West Africa in the past 50 years. This is the reason why the sudden spread of this disease in Europe in unusually high numbers has raised an alarm. The World Health Organization has called an emergency meeting to discuss the outbreak.
In India, the Union Health Ministry has directed the National Center for Disease Control and the Indian Council of Medical Research to keep a close watch on the outbreak. Also, if the cases keep rising, the government may start random screening of people coming from the affected countries.
“There is no need to panic. Monkeypox, apart from being a self-limiting infection, has a very low infection potential,” assures Dr. Kabir Sardana, professor of dermatology, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. “Since the smallpox vaccination works against it , therefore it can be hypothesized immunologically that a certain population in India may be immune to monkeypox.”
Dr Pooja Khosla, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital advised caution, however, adding that the possibility of monkeypox in India cannot be ruled out.
The symptoms of monkeypox are similar to those of smallpox. Early symptoms include fever, severe headache, swollen lymph nodes, back pain, muscle aches and lack of energy. Skin eruptions are also observed in many patients.
According to Dr Ankita Baidya, Consultant, Infectious Diseases, Manipal Hospital, Dwarka, the symptoms usually subside in two to four weeks. “Complications are rare and are mainly seen in children and people with weakened immunity,” Baidya said.
According to the WHO, an antiviral agent developed to treat smallpox has also been licensed to treat monkeypox. Otherwise, in most cases, the patient’s condition improves with symptomatic management.