Listen to Story The World Health Organisation (WHO)'s emergency committee meeting has been scheduled to discuss the ongoing mpox outbreak that has affected 116 countries so far. In a recent report, the health agency classified it as an "acute" Grade 3 emergency, the highest level of classification, indicating the need for immediate and urgent attention. Since its onset in 2022, the outbreak has persisted, with a recent surge in cases reported globally.
It is spreading across West, Central, and East African countries, with cases also emerging in the Americas and Europe. In 2022, India's first confirmed case of mpox was reported in Kerala in a 35-year-old patient. WHAT IS MPOX? Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease caused by the mpox virus, which belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus.
The disease was first identified in monkeys in 1958, in Denmark, hence its original name , but it primarily affects rodents and other small mammals. This rare zoonotic disease (transferred from animal to humans) stems from Poxviridae family, whose viruses have also caused other diseases like smallpox, cowpox, vaccinia and more. The disease was first identified in monkeys in 1958, in Denmark, hence its original name, but it primarily affects rodents and other small mammals.
(Photo: Getty Images) Presently, there are two clades, or genetic groups, of mpox: Clade I, predominantly found in Central and East Africa, and Clade II, which is associated with more cases in West Africa. The first human case of mpox was reported in 1970 in a nine-year-old boy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2022, the WHO changed its name from monkeypox to mpox to destigmatise the racist insinuations against a particular community following the outbreak that year.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? Mpox is characterised by symptoms similar to smallpox , including fever, headache, muscle aches, and a distinctive rash that often begins on the face and spreads to other parts of the body. The virus is transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected animals, bodily fluids, or contaminated materials, and it can also spread from person to person through respiratory droplets or close contact. The symptoms last 2 to 4 weeks.
Most people experience milder symptoms, but some may develop more severe illness requiring medical care. Children, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems are typically at higher risk of contracting the virus. WHO IS IT TESTED? According to the WHO, the preferred laboratory test for mpox is the detection of viral DNA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Mpox is characterised by symptoms similar to smallpox. (Photo: Getty Images) The most accurate diagnostic samples are obtained directly from the rash, such as skin, fluid, or crusts, collected through vigorous swabbing. If skin lesions are absent, testing can be performed using oropharyngeal, anal, or rectal swabs.
Blood testing is not recommended. Antibody detection methods are generally not useful, as they do not differentiate between various orthopoxviruses. WHAT IS THE TREATMENT? Currently, there is no cure or treatment for mpox.
WHO recommended supportive care for symptoms to be managed. Patients have been advised to stay hydrated, eat nutritious meals, get enough sleep and avoid scratching their skin. General hygiene tips have also been advised, such as washing your hands frequently and, after touching any lesions, washing hands.
If infected individuals cannot avoid sharing space with others, they should keep their lesions covered with clothing or a bandage until they can isolate again. IS THERE A VACCINE? In January 2022, the European Medicines Agency approved tecovirimat, an antiviral originally developed to treat smallpox, for the treatment of mpox under exceptional circumstances. However, experience with this therapeutic is limited, and its use is typically accompanied by participation in a clinical trial or expanded access protocol to gather information for future reference.
Three vaccines, MVA-BN, LC16, and OrthopoxVac, developed for smallpox are approved for the prevention of mpox. However, vaccination is only recommended for individuals at risk, and the WHO does not endorse mass vaccination against mpox. A while back, the WHO issued an invitation for manufacturers of mpox vaccines to submit an Expression of Interest for Emergency Use Listing (EUL), given the worrying trends in the disease's spread.
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