First case of Monkeypox detected in Texas

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), First case of rare human monkeypox was detected in Texas.

Key Points

• Monkeypox was detected in a US. resident, who recently travelled from Nigeria to US.
• Though it is a rare viral illness but currently is not a reason for alarm and threat to public.
• As per laboratory testing at CDC, patient is infected with strain of monkeypox which is commonly found in parts of West Africa, including Nigeria.
• Infections with this strain of monkeypox are fatal among 1 in 100 people.
• Prior to this case, there have been six reported monkeypox cases in travellers returning from Nigeria in United Kingdom, Israel, and Singapore.

About Monkeypox

• Monkeypox is a rare but potentially serious viral illness which starts with flu-like illness & swelling of lymph nodes and progresses to a widespread rash on face & body.
• Most infections last 2-4 weeks.
• It shares same family of viruses as smallpox, but causes milder infection.

Monkeypox virus (MPV)

MPV is a double-stranded DNA & a zoonotic virus. It belongs to genus Orthopoxvirus in family Poxviridae. It is one among human Orthopoxviruses that includes variola, cowpox and vaccinia viruses. This virus causes disease similar to smallpox but with milder rash and lower death rate. Monkeypox virus is carried by animals including primates. Virus was first identified in 1958 among crab-eating macaque monkeys by Preben von Magnus in Copenhagen, Denmark. It has also been identified in giant Gambian rat.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2021