Jammu : Kashmir-based medico cum noted health columnist Dr Tasaduk Hussain Itoo attended a Contiuing Medical Education(CME) on Monkey Pox, organized by American College of Physicians(USA).
In a statement issued today, Dr Tasaduk said that Monkey Pok is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus that can be transmitted through close contact with someone who has mpox or with infected animals. He said that the currently ongoing epidemic is, however, primarily driven by human-to-human transmission through respiratory droplets, fomites, and direct contact with lesions of an infected individual. “The viral loads are high in bodily fluids, including urine, saliva, semen, and feces, as well as in swabs taken from the oropharynx and rectum, suggesting that sexual transmission is a major driver of transmission”, he said. “Common symptoms of mpox are a skin rash or mucosal lesions which can last 2–4 weeks accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.”, he said. “While vaccination for the virus is available, however largely the treatment is supportive to control pain and fever with close attention to nutrition, hydration, skin care, prevention of secondary infections and co-infections”, he said. “The infected individual should remain in isolation, wear a surgical mask, and keep lesions covered as much as reasonably possible until all lesion crusts have naturally fallen off and a new skin layer has formed”, he added. Pertinently, Dr Itoo works at SMVD Narayana Superspeciality Hospital Jammu and is a cordial member of American College of Physicians(USA).
