2023-05-09 12:56:17
The virologist Christian Drosten, who became known due to the corona pandemic, and the WHO warn of the danger by the so-called monkey pox (Mpox). The pathogen is currently not particularly aggressive, but experts believe that this could change if no countermeasures are taken. In Germany, more than 3,500 infections with the virus have been reported within the last year. Some sick people also brought the virus with them from vacation.
Read more after the ad
Read more after the ad
For example, a 30-year-old whose infection was confirmed last year said he had previously partied at a holiday island party. Around 80,000 people from Spain and many other countries came together for the event. The good thing: According to the British health authority UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the viral disease usually only causes mild symptoms, but in individual cases it can also have severe courses.
This 2003 electron micrograph, provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shows mature oval-shaped monkeypoxviruses (left) and spherical immature virions (right) obtained from a human skin sample related to the prairie dog outbreak that same year .
© Quelle: Cynthia S. Goldsmith/Russell Reg
Probably the most noticeable symptom of the infectious disease is the typical rash on the face and body in the form of blisters. Cough, fever, muscle aches and severe headaches can also occur. The time between infection and the onset of the disease is between seven and 21 days. Monkeypox is contagious from day one. Only when crusts of the rash fall off is the risk of infection averted. This usually takes two to three weeks.
Read more after the ad
How high is the risk of infection on vacation?
The so-called monkeypox has been known for decades, but until 2022 it was mainly widespread in animals in West and Central Africa – there have also been isolated cases in people in Nigeria, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in the Republic of the Congo, in Cameroon, in Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Gabon and South Sudan.
Since May 2022, the disease has been discovered in some countries outside of Africa where it had not previously occurred – including Germany. “An import to Germany by travelers returning from endemic areas (especially West and Central Africa) is possible,” explains the RKI.
The Federal Foreign Office advises observing preventive measures and taking them yourself depending on the situation. However, the risk of infection for travelers is still considered to be low. If an infection is suspected, a doctor should be consulted. Also the so-called PoxApp can help with the first assessment.
Infection with monkeypox: This is how the pathogens are transmitted
Travelers can protect themselves from infection by taking simple measures. The disease can be passed on from infected animals and humans via droplets that arise when humans cough or speak, for example. If they get on the mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth or nose, it can be loud Robert Koch Institute (RKI) to become infected. However, the droplets are comparatively large, for example compared to the corona virus. Therefore, human-to-human transmission is rare.
Read more after the ad
Read more after the ad
In the case of close physical contact, for example during “sexual activities”, things look different. The chance of infection is significantly higher here. Condoms are one way to reduce the risk.
If you come into direct contact with the rash, scabs or fluid from the characteristic blisters of the infected person can enter your body through tiny cracks in the skin and thus transmit the infection.
Infection through contaminated bedding possible
Experts in Great Britain have found that transmission is also possible via contaminated bed linen, writes the British specialist portal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Therefore, when choosing a hotel for the trip, importance should be attached to good hygiene.
Infected animals, especially rodents and monkeys, can also pass the virus on to travelers. This happens mainly through bites, because the injury causes pathogens to get from the saliva into the blood.
Read more after the ad
Read more after the ad
Experts advise avoiding contact with animals because of the risk of contracting monkeypox.
© Source: imago images/perspective
In order to protect yourself from infection when travelling, the following therefore applies: Even if street dogs and cats are vying for attention, travelers should not seek contact with the animals and instead keep their distance. This also applies to dead animals and their blood and faeces. Contaminated meat can also transmit the virus through microcracks in its own skin, for example when preparing food.
If you want to be on the safe side, you can get vaccinated with one of the substances approved for the virus. The RKI recommends the vaccines Imvanex, Jynneos or Imvamune. However, these are only approved for people over the age of 18 and are not part of the recommended travel vaccinations.
RKI and WHO are not giving the all-clear
Although there are currently hardly any cases in Germany, the RKI warns against becoming too careless. In the spring, more events with large crowds and close physical contact were taking place again, with sexual intercourse in particular being a possible transmission route. According to the RKI, the danger for most of the population in Germany is currently very low.
The World Health Organization (WHO) advises continuing to monitor monkeypox despite the low number of cases. Otherwise virus variants could arise in the future that are much less easy to contain, warns WHO monkeypox expert Rosamund Lewis.
#big #risk #vacation