Unusual global outbreak of monkeypox: what should we do?

Abstract

Recently, monkeypox has become a global concern amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Monkeypox is an acute rash zoonosis caused by the monkeypox virus, which was previously concentrated in Africa. The re-emergence of this pathogen seems unusual on account of outbreaks in multiple nonendemic countries and the incline to spread from person to person. We need to revisit this virus to prevent the epidemic from getting worse. In this review, we comprehensively summarize studies on monkeypox, including its epidemiology, biological characteristics, pathogenesis, and clinical characteristics, as well as therapeutics and vaccines, highlighting its unusual outbreak attributed to the transformation of transmission. We also analyze the present situation and put forward countermeasures from both clinical and scientific research to address it.

Assessing Healthcare Workers’ Knowledge and Their Confidence in the Diagnosis and Management of Human Monkeypox: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Middle Eastern Country

“…Third, the extended period of the survey distribution in this study. Finally, the increased media coverage and rapid availability of literature tackling different aspects of HMPX recently [ 6 , 17 , 20 , 23 , 25 , 54 ]. Despite the widespread media coverage of the evolving status of HMPX, less than a half of the study respondents knew about the multi-country outbreak.…”

Monkeypox in humans – the review

“…The prodromal symptoms last 2 to 4 days, followed by the development of skin lesions [18], [20]. The rash is similar to that of smallpox, it usually appears 1 to 3 days after lymphadenopathy [19]. First, the lesions are macular or papular, then develop into pustules, vesicles, ulcers, and finally scabs that fall off during the healing phase.…”

“…Swollen lymph nodes reach a size of up to 4 cm and are tender and hard. The most commonly involved are the behind-the-ear, submandibular, cervical and inguinal nodes [19], [20]. Symptoms that also frequently occur in patients are fever and restlessness [17].…”

“…The genitals, oral mucosa, conjunctiva and cornea may also be involved. The skin changes occur from 2 to 4 weeks [17], [19]. The severity of symptoms is generally related to the degree of exposure to the virus through transmission.…”

Monkeypox: Some Keys to Understand This Emerging Disease

“…However, in the present multi-country outbreak, dermatologists are reporting that the lesions are pseudopustular, with whitish solid content, a necrotic center, and an erythematous hale, which evolve to a more purulent, necrotized, and even ulcerative aspect [ 56 ]. As the lesion originated deep in the dermis, usually scars of pockmarks are left as a result of the infection [ 38 , 65 , 66 , 67 ]. The lesions happen in the outer skin, as well as the accessible mucosae, such as the oral or anal mucosa, but also in the epithelial cells lining the internal organs [ 68 ].…”