MONKEYPOX

TAG: GS:3- SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

CONTEXT: Recently, a 38-year-old man from Kerala, who was diagnosed with a mpox last week, has been confirmed to have clade 1B infection. this is the first case of clade infection in the country,

EXPLANATION:

About Mpox?

• Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is a DNA virus. It belongs to the family Poxviridae, which consists of large, double-stranded DNA viruses.
• The virus was first identified in monkeys in 1958 but has since been found to infect humans as well.
• It is a viral infection caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV).
• It was first reported in humans in 1970, predominantly in African regions.
• There are two known types (clades) of mpox virus — one that originated in Central Africa (Clade I) and one that originated in West Africa (Clade II).

Clade Classification:

• Mpox virus (MPXV) is categorized into Clade I and Clade II (further divided into Clade IIa and Clade IIb).
• Only Clade I MPXV has been identified in the DRC.

Symptoms:

• Common symptoms of mpox are a skin rash or mucosal lesions, which can last 2–4 weeks accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.

Transmission:

• It can spread from animals to humans (zoonotic transmission) or between humans (through direct contact with body fluids or sexual contact)
• Human-to-human transmission of mpox occurs through direct contact with body fluids, lesions, prolonged face-to-face contact, including sexual contact, and indirect contact with contaminated clothing or bedding. 

Treatment:

There are no specific treatments for monkeypox virus infection. Early and supportive care is important to help manage symptoms and avoid further problems.

Highlighting the need for improved prevention and control measures.

• Global Outbreaks:Mpox gained global attention during a widespread outbreak that affected over 100,000 people in more than 118 countries in 2022-2023.

• • The outbreak was characterised by high human-to-human transmission, particularly through close contact and the sexual route.

• WHO Declaration:The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency, leading to coordinated efforts to control its spread.

Genomic Features:

• • Clades and Lineages: Mpox genomes are divided into clades I and II, with evidence suggesting clade I has higher mortality.
    • The 2022 outbreak involved a new lineage, clade IIb, better adapted for human-to-human transmission.

Source:

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/health/deadly-new-clade-1b-strain-of-mpox-reported-in-india