Update on the M-pox virus and safety measures taken against it globally

Afsheen Mansoor; Emaan Mansoor; Yasir Waheed; Paulo J Palma; Catarina Chaves

doi:10.1016/j.jfma.2023.10.019

Update on the M-pox virus and safety measures taken against it globally

J Formos Med Assoc. 2023 Nov 22:S0929-6646(23)00437-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jfma.2023.10.019. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Afsheen Mansoor¹, Emaan Mansoor², Yasir Waheed³, Paulo J Palma⁴, Catarina Chaves⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dental Material Sciences, School of Dentistry, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU), Islamabad, 44080, Pakistan. Electronic address: drafsheenqamar@gmail.com.
² Islamic International Dental College, Riphah International University, Islamabad, 46000, Pakistan. Electronic address: emaanmansoor5@gmail.com.
³ Office of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization (ORIC), Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU), Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan. Electronic address: yasir_waheed_199@hotmail.com.
⁴ Center for Innovation and Research in Oral Sciences (CIROS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-075, Coimbra, Portugal; Institute of Endodontics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-075, Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: ppalma@uc.pt.
⁵ Clinical Microbiology, Clinical Pathology Department, Coimbra University Hospital Center (CHUC), 3000, Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: catarinachaves@chuc.min-saude.pt.

PMID: 37996327
DOI: 10.1016/j.jfma.2023.10.019

Abstract

Globally, more than 50 countries have been affected by Monkey pox virus after COVID-19 has subsided. WHO declared "public health emergency of international concern" in year 2022 because of virus affecting 60,000 people in just one month that belonged to clade-IIb. Previously, it had been transmitted by body fluids, lesions and touching items, but fresh transmission is via sexual activity among bisexuals and man to man sex (MSM). New outbreaks reported compromised health status of confirmed cases with rectal pain, bleeding, tenesmus, pus or blood in stool, vomiting, proctitis and abdominal pain, which became alarming for entire world because of complications leading to bacterial skin infections, sepsis, encephalitis, hemorrhagic disease, blindness and pneumonia eventually. This virus has been further deteriorating unstable and unsustainable economy that requires dire attention. Strict preventive measures in terms of personal hygiene, pet and livestock health care, hospital contaminant disposal, good surveillance record, pre and post exposure vaccination, waste and water management could be only possible strategies to eliminate devastatingly dangerous M-pox outbreaks in this epic.

Keywords: Encephalitis; M-pox virus; PHEIC; Sexual activity; Vaccination.

Publication types

Review