May 2022: COVID-19 restrictions are being lifted and people are feeling comfortable ditching their masks after a long two years. However, you may want to keep that mask on as the monkeypox endemic now poses an additional public health crisis. This current outbreak raises panic as the disease, which is usually not very infectious, is spreading rapidly. As of right now, the general public is deemed low risk for the disease, but it is crucial to be aware of the origins, symptoms, effects, and hysteria concerning monkeypox.
Discovered in 1958, monkeypox was first present in Copenhagen in a colony of monkeys used for research. African rodents and non-human primates, such as monkeys, can transmit the virus to humans. However, the exact origins are undetermined according to the CDC. While monkeypox has just become prevalent in Western countries, it circled central and western Africa long before May 2022. [1] Thus, cases found in Europe and the Americas likely originated from international travel and imported animals. This, however, does not call for the discriminatory portrayal of Africans, as many describe the virus as “being African” solely because Africa is unable to access proper healthcare resources to control the spread. Indeed, the virus is in the process of being renamed because of the misconception connected to it. [2]
Although it is one of the poxviruses, monkeypox has no connection to chickenpox, but shares symptoms with smallpox. [3] Symptoms include rashes all over the body, exhaustion, fever, muscle aches, flu-like symptoms, and respiratory symptoms. [4] Rashes can exist in various areas including the face, feet, hands, genitals, and mouth. Some patients have milder rashes resembling symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases. [3]
Despite the similarities, monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted disease but can spread through direct and intimate contact. The virus mainly spreads through skin-to-skin contact such as bodily fluids, sores, and scabs; some cases stem from sexual contact. [4] Many cases reported in the Global North were found among men who had had sexual contact with other men. [5] When this information was released to the public, it caused a spread of misinformation leading to homophobic stigmas which disproportionately impacted the LGBTQ community. This same stigma was present during the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and there is a fear that people will underestimate their risk of getting monkeypox due to their stereotyping. The WHO even declared that the risk of catching monkeypox from physical contact “is not limited to men who have sex with men.” [6]
Currently, the recommended vaccine for high-risk individuals 18 years and older is JYNNEOS, the Modified Vaccinia Ankara vaccine. The vaccine is made from a weakened and non-replicating vaccinia virus, a complex virus employed to elicit a strong immune response against diseases from the poxvirus family (that both monkeypox and smallpox derive from). It is two doses and is administered through a subcutaneous or intradermal injection that received approval for smallpox and monkeypox prevention in 2019. [7] The ACAM2000 is a single-dose vaccine that poses as an alternative for JYNNEOS. JYNNEOS is more highly recommended as ACAM2000 possesses a higher possibility of side effects. [8] For those unable to access vaccination, it is recommended to wear a mask, practice proper hygiene, and avoid contact with animals and people that may be carrying the virus.
References
- About Monkeypox | Monkeypox | Poxvirus. (2022, July 22). CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/about.html
- Bajaj, S. (2022, June 24). The History of Monkeypox and Poxviruses | History. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-history-of-monkeypox-180980301/
- Jones, D. (2022, July 24). Monkeypox explained: How to protect yourself and what to watch out for. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2022/07/24/1113197119/monkeypox-symptoms-prevention-vaccines-what-to-know
- Signs and Symptoms | Monkeypox | Poxvirus. (2022, August 5). CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/symptoms.html
- Home. (n.d.). YouTube. https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2022/monkeypox-outbreak-echoing-stigmas-fears-of-early-hiv-aids-era.
- UNAIDS warns that stigmatizing language on Monkeypox jeopardises public health. (2022, May 22). UNAIDS. https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2022/may/20220522_PR_Monkeypox
- Monkeypox Update: FDA Authorizes Emergency Use of JYNNEOS Vaccine to Increase Vaccine Supply. (2022, August 9). FDA. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/monkeypox-update-fda-authorizes-emergency-use-jynneos-vaccine-increase-vaccine-supply
- Vaccines | Monkeypox | Poxvirus. (2022, August 5). CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/vaccines.html