Monkeypox: 5 myths around the infectious disease busted; know the facts

After the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency, information--both right and wrong, correct and incorrect-- are doing rounds on social media. It is very important to verify the information and trust only the facts. The growing popularity of social media platforms and the trust that the users have for every information put on these platforms makes it really difficult to track fake news; it is because by the time you see it, it will either be a viral information or it might go viral within the next few minutes.

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Here are few viral myths related to monkeypox which everyone should be aware of:

Stigmatizing a particular country or race for the outbreak is ethically wrong.

Now coming to the facts: Monkeypox is declared endemic in several West African countries where it is commonly found. However, it has not spread from those countries this year.

Reported monkeypox cases in 2022 have no travel links to the countries where it has been declared endemic, which makes it a serious concern this time.

This is yet another shocking stigma associated with the infection. In a time where we all have battled unitedly against a pandemic, having such understanding is utter disgrace.

With the outbreak of monkeypox, homosexual men have been targetted for spreading the disease.

The fact is though there are reports of transmission of the infection from men to men through sexual contact, the infection is not exclusive to this. Even the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centre (CDC) has declared monkeypox as not a sexually transmitted disease.

Monkeypox can spread when a healthy person comes in contact with an infected one; intimacy and physical contacts come within this.

This myth might have stemmed from the pandemic, the adverse effects of which we have seen recently or might have been put on social media to increase the fear around the infection, just like it was during the initial days of the pandemic.

Monkeypox is rarely fatal. As per the US CDC, over 99% of people who get infected with monkeypox are likely to survive.

The symptoms of this viral infection are painful, though.

While there is no exclusive vaccine for monkeypox, the US CDC says cecause monkeypox and smallpox viruses are genetically similar, vaccines developed to protect against smallpox viruses may be used to prevent monkeypox infections.

In India, the union government is not planning to procure smallpox vaccines against monkeypox infections for now. Four cases of the infection have been reported so far. “We only have four confirmed cases of monkeypox in India. In the current situation, we are not actively considering vaccination, but we are not completely rejecting that possibility. If the need arises in the future, we will look into our options," a health ministry official told the media.

As per a news report, Adar Poonawalla has said that the Serum Institute of India (SII) is in talks with Novovax to develop mRNA vaccine for monkeypox.

Though it looks similar to smallpox and chickenpox, monkeypox infection is much different from these two infections. Other than the fact that the symptoms are painful in monkeypox infection, another striking characteristic of this infection is that it causes the lymph nodes to swell.

• Monkeypox is caused by monkeypox virus, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae.
• The virus is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus that belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family.
• Though its symptoms are similar to those seen in smallpox, they are clinically different.
• The animal hosts of monkeypox are rodents and primates. Squirrels are also suspected to be potential hosts of the virus.
• It can be spread from an infected person to a healthy one through respiratory secretions, skin lesions or contaminated objects
• The incubation period of the monkeypox virus can range from 5 to 21 days.

There are several symptoms typical to monkeypox.

"Rashes and the development of nodes (lymph nodes Enlargement) in several areas of the body are the two main symptoms that set this viral infection apart from others," says Dr.Rajiv Dang, Senior Director and HOD - Internal Medicine and Medical Director, Max Hospital, Gurugram.

On other visible symptoms of the infection, Dr Dang says, "fever, headache, muscle pain, chills, backache, exhaustion and are some other symptoms of this infection."

"Few patients may also develop cough, nausea, and shortness of breath. Though there can be more emerging symptoms of this infection, as of now these symptoms are known to us which have been seen in the 4 cases confirmed in the country which had monkeypox," the expert adds.