Mpox updated information
Emma Hammett BEM RGN
Author, press spokesperson and expert on health and first aid. Provider of award-winning, tailored practical and online first aid training.
There is currently a multinational outbreak of Mpox (Monkeypox), cases have been confirmed in the UK.
What is Mpox?
Mpox is a rare zoonosis – a disease transmitted to humans from animals. It is caused by the Mpox virus and is part of the smallpox and chickenpox family.
When was it first identified?
Mpox – the timeline:
- 1958 – discovery of the virus in 1958 among monkeys in a laboratory.
- 1970 – identification of the first cases in humans in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970.
- 2003 – an outbreak of Mpox occurred in the USA. linked to rodents from Gambia being sold in a pet shop. Of the 71 reported cases, none were fatal.
- 2017 – Nigeria experienced a large outbreak of Mpox with occasional cases since.
- 2018 – two cases reported in quick succession in UK. Both people infected had recently travelled to Nigeria.
- 2021 – multinational outbreak in 14 countries
- 2022 – Endemic in some parts of Africa, spreading in the UK, Spain and other parts of Europe and at the end of May, the first South American case was reported in Argentina.
- 2024 – A new clade of Mpox called Clade 1b was found in DRC, and has spread to neighbouring countries. The new clade has not been reported in the UK.
How do you catch it?
There are two known methods of transmission. One is via humans and one is via animals.
?
How do you catch it from animals?
It is spread through handling infected monkeys, squirrels and Gambian giant rats. This means direct contact with blood, bodily fluids or skin lesions of an infected animal. Rodents are considered the most likely source of the virus. Another possible risk factor is eating meat from infected animals that haven’t been cooked sufficiently.
?
How do you catch it from humans?
It can spread when someone is in close physical contact with an infected person and they touch the skin lesions or they touch objects recently contaminated by the patient.
?
Good to know
Pregnant women should take note, transmission can also occur through the placenta this is known as congenital Mpox.
?
How contagious is it?
Public Health England states Mpox does not spread easily between people so the risk of it affecting the wider population is low. However it is contagious and when people are in close proximity with one another, it does spread.
?
领英推è
How serious is it?
In most cases Mpox is mild and resolves on its own with the patient recovering within a couple of weeks. It doesn’t have lasting effects on the patient’s long term health, although if the rash spreads to the eyes it can cause blindness. However in some cases it can cause severe illness. This is due to age, the patient’s overall health, extent of exposure to the virus and the severity of the complications. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in the US, as many as one in ten cases of Mpox in Africa result in death. Most deaths occur in the younger age groups.
?
Where is it reported?
Mainly in remote parts of central and west African countries, also near tropical rainforests.
?
What are the symptoms of Mpox?
Mpox starts with fever, aching muscles, headache, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion. Within 1-5 days of getting the fever, a painful rash appears and open sores develop. These usually start on the face before spreading to the rest of the body. They scab over and then fall off.
?
Available treatment?
There are no known treatments or vaccines specifically for Mpox, however there are multiple smallpox vaccines which have been successful in preventing Mpox.
Mass vaccination has not been recommended, although people who are at risk ( those who have been exposed too or are at high risk of exposure) are considered for vaccination.
People in the UK born before 1970 should have received a Smallpox vaccine and so are likely to have some immunity against Mpox. The UK Government is considering offering the Smallpox vaccine to those who have been in close contact with infected people.
About us
First Aid for Life provide award-winning first aid training tailored to your needs – Please visit our site and learn more about our practical and online courses. It is vital to keep your skills current and refreshed. We are currently providing essential training for individuals and groups across the UK. In addition, we have a great range of online courses. These are ideal as refreshers for regulated qualifications or as Appointed Person qualifications.
You can attend a fully regulated Practical or?Online First Aid course?to understand what to do in a medical emergency. Please visit?https://firstaidforlife.org.uk?or call 0208 675 4036 for more information about our courses.
First Aid for Life?is a multi-award-winning, fully regulated first aid training provider. Our trainers are highly experienced medical, health and emergency services professionals who will tailor the training to your needs. Courses for groups or individuals at our venue or yours.
First Aid for life provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. First Aid for Life is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken on this information.