Monkey pox: Symptoms, transmission, pimples… What are the health authorities saying? – The HuffPost

HEALTH – A disease to watch closely. According to a report from Santé Publique France published on Tuesday July 5, a total of 577 cases of monkey pox have been confirmed in France, including 387 in the Paris region. For the moment, the spread of the virus is mainly among men who have sex with men (97% of cases in France). In this configuration, the ARS (regional health agency) Île-de-France has announced the opening of new vaccination centers for people with contact cases, while the HAS (High Authority for Health) has, for its part, was seized on the issue of extending vaccination to gay and bis men. The vaccine should ideally be administered within 4 days after the date of the last risky contact and a maximum of 14 days later. . As with Covid, prolonged contact within 3 meters with someone carrying the virus can promote transmission due to microdroplets and respiratory secretions. The other main mode of transmission is “close and direct contact with this person via skin lesions (wounds, scabs), bodily fluids (blood, saliva, semen) or mucous membranes (mouth, anus, natural orifices producing mucus)”, and contaminated objects. At the moment, monkeypox is not considered a sexually transmitted infection. DNA from the virus has been found in the semen of sick people, but it is not yet known if this is enough to transmit the disease. The first symptoms of monkeypoxWhat makes it particularly difficult to detect monkeypox quickly are its first symptoms, which strongly resemble those of the flu or Covid: fever, headache, chills, muscle aches. Another particularly warning sign is the swelling “of the glands located around the ears, in the neck and the nape of the neck”. This first wave of so-called “invasive” symptoms appears after an incubation period “which can range from 5 to 21 days (7 to 14 days observed on average)”. A fairly long period which can make it difficult to identify the contaminating person. SPF also underlines: “Most of the cases investigated declare that they cannot identify the person who allegedly contaminated them”. When the pimples appearMonkeypox disease then manifests itself by the appearance of pimples on the body, generally within one to three days of the first symptoms, explains the Health Insurance. “The whole body can be affected, especially the palms and soles of the feet, the face and the scalp. Depending on the mode of contamination, these lesions can affect the anogenital region and oral mucosa”, notes the ARS. These lesions evolve to fill with a liquid – particularly contaminating – before drying. The health authority recommends covering the lesions with a bandage or cloth to avoid contamination. Screening and treatment for monkeypoxIf you think you have contracted monkeypox because you have been in contact with an infected person, because you have returned from a trip to an African country where the virus usually circulates, or because you have multiple and anonymous partners -regardless of your sexual orientation-, contact your doctor or the 15, who can then guide you. As a precautionary measure, isolate yourself. After the medical consultation, a PCR test on a lesion will confirm that you have indeed contracted monkeypox. Roommate, couple… How to isolate yourself during illnessOnce the diagnosis has been made, you must register with the ARS, it is mandatory, and inform the people with whom you have been in contact since the start of your symptoms . You also have to isolate yourself. “You will have to wear a surgical mask and not have physical contact with other people, in particular by maintaining isolation from other people within the home”, specifies the ARS. In addition to the ventilation of the rooms, it is preferable not to share toilets or objects, or to disinfect them with bleach in which case. The duration of isolation is three weeks from the date of the first signs, but this period may be reduced to two on medical advice and if all the lesions have disappeared. The ARS has also distilled several instructions on the procedure to follow for cleaning your home: Keep waste such as the crusts of vesicles in dedicated garbage bags. Perform the vacuuming of dust and the regular washing of floors and surfaces.Wash laundry in contact with the body of the infected person, if possible at 60°C for 30 minutes with usual detergent.At the end of isolation: Careful cleaning of the home including surfaces, bedding, clothing and the dishes must be done. Complications from monkeypox? Monkeypox remains an essentially mild disease with a case fatality rate of less than 10% in cases observed worldwide. Nevertheless, serious cases can occur, “more frequently in children, pregnant women and immunocompromised people”. Social Security notes, however, that cases may require hospitalization. In particular when monkeypox causes ENT or digestive complications, eye or lung damage, or when there are too many skin lesions (more than 100) or in cases of superinfection of these lesions. See also on The HuffPost: With the 7th wave of Covid, putting the mask back on in these places is a good idea