Monkey pox
The monkeypox are a viral disease in monkeys whose reservoir of pathogens but probably squirrels and rodents represent. They can be transmitted to humans ( zoonosis ) and trigger a mild pox-like disease, which can also be fatal. In Germany , monkeypox is subject to notification under the Animal Health Act (TierGesG).
Pathogen and occurrence
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The pathogen belongs to the species monkey pox virus ( officially Monkeypox virus , MPV, outdated Orthopoxvirus simiae ), and thus into the genus Orthopoxvirus in the subfamily Chordopoxvirinae the poxviruses .
The disease occurs mainly in Africa . In the Congo, it is estimated that since the end of the smallpox vaccination in 1980, the number of diseases has increased twenty-fold. There have also been some outbreaks in rhesus and crab monkeys in captivity . In 2003 there were a few cases of monkey pox in the United States that occurred after exposure to prairie dogs , but with no deaths.
Monkeys are presumably only false hosts of this virus. The actual reservoir is presumably made up of squirrels , rats and other rodents . Infection in humans is triggered by bites from these animals or monkeys, through contact with secretions , as droplet infection or consumption of monkey meat, but the risk of infection is low.
As orthopox virus, the monkey pox virus belongs to the group of pox viruses, which in turn are double-stranded DNA viruses. Since the eradication of smallpox ( Variola major ) in the 1970s, sporadic epidemics of this zoonosis have been observed in West and Central Africa. Actual virus hosts are tree squirrels and / or other rodents. The course of the disease in humans is often severe and resembles that of Variola major. The clinical distinguishing feature is the more pronounced nuchal lymphadenopathy in monkey pox. Smallpox viruses cause cytopathogenic infections. The previously high mortality rate has now dropped from 15% to 1%. It has not yet been fully clarified whether the increased incidence of monkey pox is due to the discontinuation of the smallpox vaccination (which is also effective for monkey pox) or whether other factors play a role.
Clinical picture in humans
| Classification according to ICD-10 | |
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| B04 | Monkey pox |
| ICD-10 online (WHO version 2019) | |
The incubation period is two (one to three) weeks. Monkey pox manifests itself as a sudden onset of fever and a generalized rash . In susceptible people, skin changes in the form of blisters or pustules that resemble smallpox may appear.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Ordinance on notifiable animal diseases in the version published on July 19, 2011 ( Federal Law Gazette I p. 1404 ), amended by Article 3 of the Ordinance of May 3, 2016 ( Federal Law Gazette I p. 1057 ) in conjunction with Section 4 of the Act for the prevention and control of animal diseases (Animal Health Act - TierGesG) of May 22, 2013 ( Federal Law Gazette I p. 1324 ), last amended by Article 8, Paragraph 12 of the law of December 3, 2015 ( Federal Law Gazette I, p. 2178 ).
- ↑ a b c d e ICTV: ICTV Taxonomy history: Variola virus , EC 51, Berlin, Germany, July 2019; Email ratification March 2020 (MSL # 35)
- ^ Mark Wheeler: Virus related to smallpox rising sharply in Africa, UCLA researcher finds. August 30, 2010, accessed November 27, 2017 .
- ^ Robert Koch Institute : Brief description: Humane monkey pox. - as PDF; on rki.de ; accessed May 11, 2020.
Web links
- Monkey pox - information from the Robert Koch Institute
- Clare Wilson: Monkeypox has reached the UK - here's what you need to know , on: NewScientis of September 27, 2018
