Monkeypox is a viral disease that is similar to smallpox in humans and whose causative viruses are also related to the smallpox virus. It is a zoonosis, which means that the viral disease can be transmitted from animals to humans and vice versa. However, this disease in humans is similar to smallpox, but fatal outcomes are rare, monkey pox usually healed after a good three weeks.
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), monkeypox was first detected in humans in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970 – a nine-year-old boy was affected. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were then cases in more than ten countries on the continent. The pathogens can be transmitted by various animal species and thus, like the coronavirus, belong to the zoonoses .
Mainly Central and West Africa
Pathogen reservoir is rodents
Infection is through infected secretions and droplet. Usually in contact with infected animals; Human-to-human transmission is possible with close contact
The incubation period is 5-21 days
Historically, vaccination against smallpox had been shown to be protective against monkey pox. While one vaccine (MVA-BN) and one specific treatment (tecovirimat) were approved for monkey pox, in 2019 and 2022 respectively, these countermeasures are not yet widely available.
Vaccination against smallpox also protected against monkey pox. But since smallpox has been eradicated and vaccination against smallpox has not been carried out for a long time, fewer and fewer people are protected. This could be a major factor in why monkey pox is spreading more. Vaccination is possible and permitted, but not yet available to the general public according to the WHO.
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