What is Monkeypox Virus?

Symptoms

The monkeypox virus has two main variants: Clade I (which appeared in Central Africa) and Clade II (which appeared in West Africa). A third, less severe subtype of the West African variant is responsible for the current viral outbreak. This third new variant is recognised worldwide as the Clade IIb.

The symptoms of the monkeypox disease manifest in stages. The symptoms may vary from person to person in terms of severity, but the most common signs of the infection are:

1. First Stage Symptoms (1-3 days before the appearance of the rash)

The initial or first-stage symptoms are flu-like symptoms. The common signs and symptoms during this phase are —

• Fever:

This is, in fact, the earliest symptom, lasting for about 1 to 3 days before the rash appears.

• Chills:

Intense shivering or chills accompanies the fever in most cases.

• Myalgia:

Muscular pain or myalgia is another common symptom of the disease. It is a generalised muscular ache that mostly hits the back muscles.

• Headache:

Headaches may range from moderate to severe.

• Fatigue:

Excessive tiredness and weakness are other common symptoms.

• Swollen Lymph Nodes:

2. Rash on the Skin (Appears 1-3 days after fever)

As the infection progresses, rashes appear on the skin. In most cases, the rashes first appear on the face and then gradually spread to the other parts of the body, including the mouth, genitals, hands, and feet. Initially, the rashes appear as reddish spots on the skin. Later, they become papules or red bumps, then vesicles or watery blisters, and finally, pustules or pus-filled lesions. After pustules, the rashes turn to scabs. The rashes are painful and itchy, causing much discomfort for the infected person.

3. Other Symptoms

Apart from the above symptoms, some patients infected by the monkeypox virus may show symptoms such as conjunctivitis, cough, and sore throat.

The symptoms of monkeypox infection usually last for 2 to 4 weeks. The skin rashes take some time to heal and the scabs that develop in the final phase of the infection fall off eventually.

Causes

The monkeypox virus triggers this viral infection. The virus belongs to the orthopoxviral genus. The smallpox virus, i.e. variola virus, also belongs to the same genus. The main causes and transmission modes for this viral infection include the following —

• Animal-to-Human Transmission

Animal-to-human transmission may occur in three ways — direct contact with the infected animals, eating the undercooked flesh of infected animals, and through scratches or bites of the infected animals.

• Human-to-Human Transmission

Human-to-human transmission may also occur in three ways — contact with the rashes and lesions on the infected person’s skin, contact with contaminated objects like the bed linen, clothing, etc., used by the patient, and contact with the respiratory droplets from the infected patient.

• Environmental Triggers

Environmental factors come into play, especially in areas where the monkeypox viral infection is endemic. The transmission rate in these areas could be high due to large-scale interaction with the affected wildlife.

• Maternal Transmission

Infected women who are pregnant may pass the infection to the foetus through the placental exchange, causing congenital infection.