What Exactly is Monkeypox?

Figure 1: Above image shows a detailed microscopic view of the monkeypox virus, as well as the visible symptoms of the virus on the skin. (LINK)

In 1958, Danish researchers detected the monkeypox virus—a double-stranded DNA virus that causes monkeypox in animals—in laboratory monkeys. Monkeypox is a disease originating from the same orthopoxvirus family as smallpox, though scientists claim that monkeypox is much milder than smallpox.

The first human to obtain monkeypox was in 1970—a 9-month-old boy from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Bunge et.al.). Since then, many more monkeypox cases in mostly Western and Central Africa began to emerge.

However, not much later, in 2003, the first human case of monkeypox outside of Africa was reported in the United States. Many investigators deduced the outbreak's origin from infected native prairie dogs (WHO). Gambian rodents (pouched rats and dormice) that were imported to the US from Ghana were likely to have been sheltered with the infected pet prairie dogs.

Although monkeypox is less severe in terms of symptoms and deaths than smallpox, infectious disease experts have recently observed an unusual and sudden spike in the number of monkeypox patients in countries that were not susceptible to the disease in the past (Victor). Over the past few weeks, more than 350 people from 20 countries—excluding countries from Africa—reported having obtained monkeypox.

Figure 2: The data shown above indicates the rising monkeypox cases since May 9, 2022. (LINK)

However, the same level of precautions for coronavirus is not implemented as with monkeypox. Infectious disease experts have asserted that because treatments and vaccines for smallpox, very similar to monkeypox, exist, there is not much to fret. Furthermore, according to the World Health Organization, the mortality rate for monkeypox historically ranges from 0 to 11 percent. Researchers also discovered that monkeypox lasts for approximately two to four weeks, meaning the monkeypox patients may recover without medication.

Unlike the coronavirus or SARS—both spread via aerosols or tiny air droplets—monkeypox usually spreads through body fluids and skin contact (Victor). Though most of the previous cases were from men, anyone is susceptible to the monkeypox virus if they had physical contact with a monkeypox patient. However, among the reported cases this year, most were young men (under 40 to 50 years) who have had sexual intercourse with other men.

The symptoms of monkeypox are flu-like, including fever, fatigue, headache, and occasionally, swollen lymph nodes. Yet a crucial indication of monkeypox is a rash that forms only a few days after acquiring the virus. The rash often appears on a patient’s face and then spreads throughout the body. In addition, the inflammation—small and flat at the beginning—turns into tiny blisters, then rises into much larger blisters filled with pus (Shmerling).

To prevent the spread of monkeypox, the World Health Organization suggests that the most effective method would be to raise awareness of the virus' risks. Educating laypeople about the virus may make them more conscious when having physical contact with their partner(s). It is also essential to have partners inform each other about their health and potential risks of any diseases.

Q&A:

Jennah: You mentioned that “among the reported cases this year, the majority of cases were young men (under the age of 40 to 50) who have had sex with other men.” Is there a possible connection/relation between HIV/AIDS and monkeypox (potential similarities and/or differences)?

Answer: Recently non-experts have linked monkeypox with HIV/AIDS because the most susceptible patients of these diseases are gay or bisexual men and have been misinterpreted as sexually transmitted diseases. Patients with monkeypox are not always men who have sex with other men; they can be women and children. Also, physical contact between a person and an infected one does not necessarily indicate sex (people can obtain monkeypox via touch). Similarly, gay or bisexual men are not the only ones susceptible to HIV/AIDS.

Hannah: You stated in your article that monkeypox is a milder form of smallpox. Is there a vaccine for monkeypox? And if not, is the smallpox vaccine effective against monkeypox?

Answer: There is no vaccine specific to treating the monkeypox virus. However, researchers have discovered that the previously created smallpox vaccine can control the rising number of monkeypox cases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the smallpox vaccine is approximately 85 percent effective against the monkeypox virus. Also, disease experts are close to creating a new vaccine (JYNNEOS) for monkeypox and smallpox; the vaccine has only been effective on animals—not humans.

David: Can monkeypox cause any significant harm or permanent damage to an individual? Why should we be concerned about this specific virus when there’s a lot of other diseases and viruses?

Answer: People have only been concerned about monkeypox because the number of cases has been rising rapidly these past few months. But it is a relief that monkeypox does not pose a significant threat to humans compared to the coronavirus. Also, disease experts are not particularly concerned with monkeypox because they found that the smallpox vaccine is effective against monkeypox.

Ian: You noted that monkey pox is a double-stranded DNA virus. How does this make monkeypox unique from other viruses such as single-stranded RNA viruses?

Answer: According to the American Society for Microbiology, that monkeypox is a DNA virus means that the virus “detects and repairs mutations better than RNA viruses” (e.g. coronavirus and SARS). Because DNA viruses are much more capable of repairing mutations, such viruses also have a lower probability of acquiring mutations that ultimately further their spread. And generally, RNA viruses have much higher mutation rates than DNA viruses.

John: Why exactly is monkeypox milder than smallpox in terms of symptoms and deaths? Could you explain a little bit more?

Answer: Smallpox is one of the world’s deadliest viral diseases, having killed more than 300 million people since the 1900s. Monkeypox came after the discovery of the smallpox vaccine. Monkeypox is claimed to be much milder in terms of symptoms than smallpox because the latter has a reported fatality rate of 30 percent, and the former—compared to the latter in recent times—has only around 3 to 6 percent.

Melissa: What is the public’s opinion/response on the recent outbreak of monkeypox?

Answer: When researchers claimed that gay or bisexual men are most susceptible to monkeypox, people began creating myths about how monkeypox is most likely a sexually transmitted disease. Such uncertainties have led many in the LGBTQ+ community to express their concerns about physical contact. However, because researchers have also reported that monkeypox is rare and its effects are not permanent, there is not much to worry about the virus' spread.

Fabian: The first monkeypox case was recently discovered in Korea. What do you think about the measures taken by the Korean government?

Answer: After the first monkeypox case, the Korean government—according to Reuters—“pledged to strengthen monitoring and response systems.” The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) raised the alert level to “caution,” which is second of Korea’s four-tier system for viral disease. Knowing of such government measures, I find the Korean government’s reaction quite reasonable. It has already been reported that monkeypox is not a severe infectious disease compared to its contemporary—the coronavirus.