Yale researchers explain recent mpox global health emergency
This past August, the World Health Organization declared a new outbreak of monkeypox a global health emergency. The News talked to infectious disease specialists about the new outbreak.
YuLin Zhen, Photography Editor
This August, the World Health Organization, or WHO, declared a new outbreak of monkeypox to be a global health emergency.
Mpox is a disease caused by a virus and is known for causing fever, painful rashes and swollen lymph nodes. Since the first human case was documented in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970, the virus has seen multiple isolated outbreaks.
However, the recent escalation is linked to increased human-to-human transmission and travel, raising concerns among public health officials and infectious disease specialists.
“I think the situation is very worrisome, especially in Africa, where we see a very high number of cases and very quick spread to surrounding countries,” Chantal Vogels, assistant professor at the Yale School of Public Health, said. “I think, in general, for people living in New Haven, the risk is low; however, it is still imperative to be aware of symptoms and seek healthcare if you think you are exposed.”
August 2024 marked the second time in two years that a new strain of the monkeypox virus, clade 1b, caused a declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, or PHEIC. Also originating in central Africa, the previous outbreak was declared a PHEIC in July 2022, ending in May 2023. It spread rapidly through 16 countries, including central African countries, European countries, the U.S., Canada, Australia and Argentina, causing over 200 deaths worldwide.
The virus typically spreads through direct contact with infected animals, contaminated materials or bodily fluids. Recent outbreaks, however, have highlighted the growing significance of human-to-human transmission, “especially through mucosal membranes or broken skin, present over the body,” Rebecca Wurtz, an infectious disease physician and public health informaticist, said.
According to WHO, while mpox is less contagious than other viral diseases, early detection is crucial to contain its spread.
Symptoms typically begin with fever, headache, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes, followed by the appearance of a distinctive rash. The rash often starts on the face and spreads to other parts of the body, eventually forming lesions that scab over and may take weeks to heal.
According to Wurtz, the characteristic skin rash typically presents as small, disseminated pustules. Just as these pustules appear on the skin, the virus can also affect internal organs like the liver and lungs, potentially leading to infections in those areas.
“The behaviors that protect us from infections are general behaviors. I don’t think we should have exceptionalism in terms of monkeypox,” said Elizabeth Jenny-Avital, an infectious disease specialist who covered the monkeypox outbreak rotations at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx during the 2022 outbreak.
According to Wurtz, mpox is transmitted through the air, but also through contact. Safety measures include avoiding contact with people who have lesions and thoroughly washing one’s hands or laundering towels or fabrics that might have been in contact with individuals impacted by mpox.
Additionally, Wurtz said, microorganisms are sometimes transmitted by ingestion and food poisoning, so it is also important to be careful about what one eats and drinks.
Over 1,700 mpox cases have been reported in the U.S. this year.