Why is this condition called “monkeypox”?
The disease is sometimes called monkeypox since it was first identified in colonies of captive monkeys in 1958. It wasn’t identified in humans until 1970.
Can the monkeypox virus spread through blood transfusions?
If you’re feeling under the weather, never give blood. If you are planned to give blood, assess your health beforehand, look out for symptoms of monkeypox, and reschedule if necessary.
There are stringent regulations about when people may give blood. The prospective donor is questioned on their current health and any symptoms they might be experiencing. This reduces the likelihood of a blood donor having an infectious disease. No documented instances of monkeypox transmission through blood transfusions exist.
Does earlier exposure to chickenpox provide any protection against monkeypox?
Chickenpox is caused by a different virus known as the varicella virus. Exposure to chickenpox in the past does not provide protection against monkeypox (caused by the monkeypox virus, which is an orthopoxvirus).
Is it possible to test whether I’ve ever had monkey pox?
You can do tests to see if you have orthopoxvirus antibodies (the family of viruses that monkeypox belongs to). These tests can help identify whether you’ve ever been exposed to the orthopoxvirus or had a smallpox or monkeypox immunisation.
The tests, however, are unable to reveal if you have ever received a vaccine, had the monkeypox virus, or another orthopoxvirus. As a result, antibody testing are rarely utilised to confirm a new case of monkeypox or to check for previous exposure to the illness.
I’ve got monkeypox before. Can I catch it again?
The length of immunity following monkeypox infection is unknown at this time. It is still unknown how much protection against subsequent infections comes from having previously had monkeypox and if this protection lasts for any length of time. You should take every care to avoid contracting monkeypox again, even if you’ve already had it.
If someone in your home now has monkeypox and you have had monkeypox in the past, you can protect others by assuming the role of designated caretaker. This is because you have a higher chance of having some immunity than other people. You should still take all essential precautions to avoid being infected.
What caused monkeypox to be listed as a public health emergency of international concern?
The WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, declared the multi-nation monkeypox pandemic a public health emergency of global concern on July 23, 2022. (PHEIC). The declaration of a PHEIC, the highest level of public health alert under the International Health Regulations, can improve coordination, collaboration, and global solidarity.
The spread of illness can be stopped and vulnerable populations can be saved with a well-planned response. The Director-General also issued Temporary Recommendations to help countries stop the spread and contain it. The Director-complete General’s statement and list of recommendations are available here.
The WHO has treated this unique scenario seriously since since the virus first began to spread in early May 2022. In order to progress research on monkeypox and the possibility for the development of novel diagnostics, vaccines, and treatments, it has promptly provided public health and clinical recommendations, actively interacted with communities, and recruited hundreds of scientists and researchers.