Monkeypox probably won’t go away anytime soon, according to some U.S. health officials, according to an Associated Press report.
Although the spread of the disease has slowed, the monkeypox virus is so prevalent that it will be difficult to eradicate, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
That conclusion was included in a recent CDC report — and on Friday, Mark Lipsitch, director of science for the agency’s Center for Disease Prediction, agreed with it.
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Lipsitch doesn’t say monkeypox will take hold forever, but he does say it will remain a threat for years to come.
“It’s in many geographical locations within the country,” Lipsitch told The Associated Press, as in other countries.
“There is no clear path to complete eradication in the country,” he added.
The virus has mostly spread to gay and bisexual men, but health officials continue to stress that anyone can get it.
Those at risk should take steps to prevent spread. It’s also essential that vaccination efforts continue, Lipsitch said.
The US epidemic appears to have peaked
CDC director Rochelle Walensky recently said she was cautiously optimistic about the decline in the number of new monkeypox cases, but infections are still rising in some parts of the country.
She also said at a White House briefing in mid-September that officials were taking steps to address racial and ethnic disparities in monkeypox vaccine distribution.
The average number of reported cases per day in the United States is less than 150, about one-third of the number reported in midsummer.
A recent CDC report contained some good news, according to the Associated Press.
The outbreak in the United States appears to have peaked in early August.
The average number of reported cases per day is less than 150, about a third of the number reported in mid-summer.
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Officials expect the decline to continue for at least the next few weeks, AP said this week.
Lipsitch believes the good news is increased immunizations, cautious behavior among at-risk populations, and infection-derived immunity among the most at-risk populations.
Dr. Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, agreed that the monkeypox epidemic in the United States is unlikely to stop anytime soon, but it is still possible in the long term. said it was.
He said that even if domestic infections stopped, it could still continue if someone contracted the virus while traveling abroad.
But the fact that cases are declining makes it look like “we’ve really turned a corner.”
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“The ongoing efforts have been successful and should continue even if they are not reinforced,” he told the Associated Press.
With the number of cases declining, this is a good time for local health departments to make a fresh attempt at intensive contact tracing to try to stop the chain of transmission, he said.
History of monkeypox
Monkeypox is endemic in parts of Africa, where it is transmitted through rodent and small animal bites, but was not seen as a disease that spreads easily among people until May, when infections broke out in Europe and the United States. It had not been done, the Associated Press said. .
The AP notes that more than 97% of US cases are male.
The disease was first discovered in Africa in 1958 when monkeys began to develop pox-like symptoms. However, the exact cause of infection remains unknown.
More than 67,000 cases have been reported in countries historically free of monkeypox. The United States has the highest number of confirmed cases of any country, with over 25,600. Her one death in the United States has been attributed to monkeypox.
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The AP notes that more than 97% of US cases are male. The majority were men who reported recent sexual contact with another man.
While cases are down, so is the percentage of new cases who have information about recent sexual contact, officials said.
So there are more blind spots about how the virus is spreading, Lipsitch said.
What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a zoonotic virus that can be transmitted from animals to humans and belongs to the same disease category as smallpox.
In 2022, monkeypox became part of an ongoing viral outbreak, with most cases beginning to cluster in the UK after traveling to Nigeria.
There are two types of monkeypox, West African and Central African.
The disease is usually spread by animals biting or scratching humans or when individuals consume infected meat.
Human-to-human transmission is the most common way the disease spreads through outbreaks.
Symptoms include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash typically with crusted blisters.
This transmission usually occurs through exposure to contaminated items, bodily fluids, and small droplets. Monkeypox can also spread through airborne routes in closed areas.
The disease can spread to others until all lesions disappear or fall off. Individuals can confirm whether they are positive for the disease by testing the lesions.
What are the symptoms of monkeypox?
Symptoms include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash typically with crusted blisters.
The World Health Organization and CDC say it starts within two to four weeks after exposure to physical symptoms.
Mild symptoms such as muscle aches and fever are not common in all outbreaks and may vary globally.
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Children, pregnant women, or individuals with compromised immune systems may experience severe symptoms.
Is there a cure for monkeypox?
There is no known cure for monkeypox, and in severe cases, WHO recommends the use of antiviral vaccines such as vaccinia immunoglobulin (VIG), which was used to treat smallpox.
Other smallpox and monkeypox vaccines are licensed, but currently available is limited.
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Medical experts recommend that monkeypox patients isolate themselves, inform others they may have been in contact with, and keep themselves well hydrated.
The Associated Press contributed a report to this article.