Advanced Medical Education Platform for Healthcare Professionals and Students | Comprehensive Learning in General Medicine & Diagnostic Pathology with Structured Preparation for NEET PG, AIIMS, ICMR, USMLE, PLAB and MRCP Competitive Examinations…
Monkeypox is a contagious zoonotic viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus. Its contagion dynamics depend on direct and indirect transmission pathways, as outlined below:
1. Human-to-Human Transmission
Direct Contact
• Skin-to-skin contact with an infected person’s rash, lesions, or scabs.
• Transmission occurs most efficiently when lesions are moist or open, as they shed high viral loads.
• Common in intimate settings, including sexual contact.
Respiratory Droplets
• Through large respiratory droplets during close and prolonged face-to-face interactions (e.g., talking, sneezing, or coughing).
• Risk increases in crowded or poorly ventilated settings.
• Unlike airborne viruses (e.g., measles), monkeypox droplets generally travel short distances.
Indirect Contact via Fomites
• Touching items like clothing, bedding, or towels contaminated with the virus from lesions or bodily fluids.
• Virus survival on surfaces depends on environmental conditions; it may persist longer in cool, dark, and dry conditions.
Vertical Transmission
• Pregnant individuals can transmit the virus to their fetus via the placenta, potentially leading to congenital monkeypox.
Contagious Period
• Individuals are infectious from the onset of symptoms (prodromal phase) until all scabs have fallen off and new skin forms.
• Typical duration: 2–4 weeks.
2. Animal-to-Human Transmission (Zoonotic Spread)
Contact with Infected Animals
• Through bites, scratches, or handling of infected animals such as rodents (e.g., Gambian pouched rats, squirrels) or primates.
• Lesions, blood, or other fluids from these animals harbor the virus.
Consumption of Bushmeat
• Handling or eating undercooked or raw meat of infected wildlife.
Viral Stability and Environmental Contagion
• The monkeypox virus is enveloped, making it moderately resilient:
o Survives weeks to months on surfaces in optimal conditions.
o Inactivated by heat (>50°C) and common disinfectants (e.g., bleach or alcohol-based sanitizers).
Monkeypox, formerly known as Mpox, is a zoonotic viral disease that resembles smallpox but is generally less severe. It is caused by the Monkeypox virus, which belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus. It primarily found in…
