Monkeypox transmission: time to revisit the medical strategy of public health

Abstract

Viral disease outbreaks pose an unprecedented challenge to public health, particularly in areas with limited access to healthcare and infection control resources. Monkeypox is a rare viral zoonosis associated with the monkeypox virus. It was first identified in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and since then, there have been sporadic outbreaks in central and West African countries. In the initial days, the infected person develops flu-like symptoms, fever, and a persistent rash, which are difficult to discriminate from other viral illnesses such as measles or chickenpox. The virus can be spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, such as blood, saliva, or respiratory secretions, or through contact with contaminated objects and infected individuals, such as looking for or living with someone sick with monkeypox. However, the recent outbreak of this disease has been associated with sexual and homosexual transmission. Currently, there is no approved treatment specifically available to contain the disease. Infected patients may treat with re-purposed antiviral drugs such as Tecovirimat, approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for smallpox, which is used in the management of the monkeypox virus. While cidofovir, ribavirin, and tiazofurin have proven to be efficacious in animal and in vitro trials, no specific medication or vaccine has been developed so far. Hence, new and specific antiviral chemotherapy is required and may be helpful in reducing the transmission and mortality associated with the monkeypox virus. Apart from this, smallpox vaccination is quite effective in preventing the monkeypox virus epidemic.

Keywords

• infectious disease
• monkeypox
• virus
• re-emerging
• ribavirin
• cidofovir