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Mpox outbreak in Ghana

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2022–2023 mpox outbreak in Ghana
DiseaseHuman mpox
LocationGhana
Arrival date8 June 2022[1] – ongoing (2 years, 5 months, and 27 days)
DateJuly 27th, 2022
Confirmed cases34[2]
Suspected cases‡159
Deaths
1[3]
‡Suspected cases have not been confirmed by laboratory tests as being due to this strain, although some other strains may have been ruled out.

The mpox outbreak in Ghana is a part of the larger outbreak of human mpox caused by the West African clade of the monkeypox virus. As opposed to its West African neighbours, Ghana had no endemic presence of mpox, only experiencing it during the 2022 outbreak. The first 5 cases of mpox in Ghana was detected on June 8, 2022.[1]

Background

These paragraphs are an excerpt from Mpox and 2022–2023 mpox outbreak.

Mpox (/ˈɛmpɒks/, EM-poks; formerly known as monkeypox)[4] is an infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and other animals. Symptoms include a rash that forms blisters and then crusts over, fever, and swollen lymph nodes. The illness is usually mild, and most infected individuals recover within a few weeks without treatment. The time from exposure to the onset of symptoms ranges from three to seventeen days, and symptoms typically last from two to four weeks. However, cases may be severe, especially in children, pregnant women, or people with suppressed immune systems.[5][6][7]

The disease is caused by the monkeypox virus, a zoonotic virus in the genus Orthopoxvirus. The variola virus, which causes smallpox, is also in this genus.[8] Human-to-human transmission can occur through direct contact with infected skin or body fluids, including sexual contact.[8] People remain infectious from the onset of symptoms until all the lesions have scabbed and healed.[5] The virus may spread from infected animals through handling infected meat or via bites or scratches.[5] Diagnosis can be confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing a lesion for the virus's DNA.[8]

Vaccination is recommended for those at high risk of infection.[8] No vaccine has been developed specifically against mpox, but smallpox vaccines have been found to be effective.[9] There is no specific treatment for the disease, so the aim of treatment is to manage the symptoms and prevent complications.[8][10] Antiviral drugs such as tecovirimat can be used to treat mpox,[8] although their effectiveness has not been proved.[11]

An ongoing outbreak of mpox was confirmed on May 6, 2022, beginning with a British resident who, after travelling to Nigeria (where the disease is endemic), presented symptoms consistent with mpox on April 29, 2022. The resident returned to the United Kingdom on May 4, creating the country's index case of the outbreak.[12] The origin of several of the cases of mpox in the United Kingdom is unknown. Some monitors saw community transmission taking place in the London area as of mid-May,[13] but it has been suggested that cases were already spreading in Europe in the previous months.[14]

Transmission

Stages of lesion development.

A large portion of those infected were believed to have not recently traveled to areas of Africa where mpox is normally found, such as Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo as well as central and western Africa. It is believed to be transmitted by close contact with sick people, with extra caution for those individuals with lesions on their skin or genitals, along with their bedding and clothing. The CDC has also stated that individuals should avoid contact and consumption of dead animals such as rats, squirrels, monkeys and apes along with wild game or lotions derived from animals in Africa.[15]

In addition to more common symptoms, such as fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and rashes or lesions, some patients have also experienced proctitis, an inflammation of the rectum lining. CDC has also warned clinicians to not rule out mpox in patients with sexually transmitted infections since there have been reports of co-infections with syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and herpes.[16]

2024

In 2024, Ghana recorded its first case in October in a Western North Region.[17] In November, the Greater Accra region recorded its first case[18] with 3 recorded cases in the Greater Accra Region as of 15 November 2024.[19]

See also

Notes

References

  1. ^ a b "5 cases of monkeypox confirmed in Ghana". MyJoyOnline.com. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Monkeypox declared a global emergency: Ghana records 34 cases across 6 regions". Ghana Fact. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  3. ^ "One person dead after contracting monkeypox". MyJoyOnline.com. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  4. ^ "WHO recommends new name for monkeypox disease" (Press release). World Health Organization (WHO). 28 November 2022. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  5. ^ a b c "Mpox". World Health Organization (WHO). 17 August 2024. Archived from the original on 19 August 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  6. ^ "WHO Factsheet – Mpox (Monkeypox)". World Health Organization (WHO). 18 April 2023. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Mpox Symptoms". U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 15 March 2024. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "WHO Factsheet – Mpox (Monkeypox)". World Health Organization (WHO). 18 April 2023. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  9. ^ Christodoulidou MM, Mabbott NA (1 January 2023). "Efficacy of smallpox vaccines against Mpox infections in humans". Immunotherapy Advances. 3 (1): ltad020. doi:10.1093/immadv/ltad020. PMC 10598838. PMID 37886620.
  10. ^ "Mpox (formerly Monkeypox)". NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 6 December 2022. Archived from the original on 23 May 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  11. ^ "Patient's Guide to Mpox Treatment with Tecovirimat (TPOXX)". U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 28 November 2022. Archived from the original on 24 May 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  12. ^ "Monkeypox – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland". World Health Organization. 16 May 2022. Archived from the original on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  13. ^ Pinkstone, Joe (17 May 2022). "Monkeypox 'spreading in sexual networks'". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  14. ^ Nsofor, Ifeanyi (2 June 2022). "OPINION: Media coverage of monkeypox paints it as an African virus. That makes me mad". NPR. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  15. ^ Vargas, Ramon Antonio (7 June 2022). "US raises monkeypox alert level but says risk to public remains low". the Guardian. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  16. ^ "Monkeypox update: Where the outbreak stands now".
  17. ^ "Ghana reports first mpox case of the year | CIDRAP". www.cidrap.umn.edu. 4 October 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  18. ^ "GHS reports 1 MPOX case in Greater Accra Region - MyJoyOnline". www.myjoyonline.com. 15 November 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  19. ^ "Mpox cases rise to 3, one confirmed in Greater Accra Region". 15 November 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
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