LONDON: The Angel of Death was an oddly serene term for a disease that killed millions and left survivors disfigured by “small pocks”, or blisters on the skin. Smallpox, named in the 15th century to distinguish it from the “great pox” of syphilis, was officially eradicated in 1980 after a global vaccination campaign.
Now, a smallpox vaccine is being wheeled out again to combat an unusual outbreak of monkeypox, a milder disease caused by a related virus. As of Sunday (May 22), the World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded more than 250 confirmed or suspected cases of monkeypox in the biggest outbreak seen outside West and Central Africa, where it is endemic.
The United Kingdom is one of the worst-affected countries, with 71 confirmed cases as of May 25. For comparison, the country saw a total of seven cases from 2018 to 2021.
The smallpox vaccine, marketed as Jynneos or Imvanex, is also licensed for monkeypox and provides a good degree of cross-protection. The UK Health Security Agency, which has 5,000 doses and more on order from maker Bavarian Nordic, stated on Monday that it was immunising close contacts of confirmed cases and advising 21-day quarantines, reflecting the possible incubation period.
This containment strategy recognises that some patients have no history of travel or contact with infected animals, implying community transmission. Scientists are now trying to work out whether the outbreak is due to human behaviour or a genetic change in the monkeypox virus.
HOW DANGEROUS IS MONKEYPOX?
The virus, first recorded in monkeys in 1958 and in humans in 1970, belongs to a family of DNA viruses called orthopoxviruses. Other members that can affect humans include smallpox (the variola virus), cowpox and vaccinia, a relatively mild virus used in the smallpox vaccine. Confusingly, chickenpox is not related.
There are two main virus clades, or branches: The current outbreak is of the West African clade, fatal in one per cent of cases, rather than the Central African (or Congo Basin) clade, which can kill up to 10 per cent. Children and those with compromised immunity, including pregnant women, are most at risk.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiemh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vY29tbWVudGFyeS9zbWFsbHBveC1tb25rZXlwb3gtdmFjY2luZXMtdHJhbnNtaXNzaWJsZS1kbmEtdmlydXMtd2VzdC1jZW50cmFsLWFmcmljYS0yNzA4ODgx0gEA?oc=5
2022-05-26 22:11:03Z
1445236704
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar