Monkeypox May Have Spread From Person To Person

click2houston.com ^ | 06/12/03

[Orange1998]

For the first time in the United States, monkeypox may have spread from person-to-person.

A southeastern Wisconsin health care worker may have contracted monkeypox from a human patient, state epidemiologist Jeff Davis said.

MONKEYPOX Afraid Of Monkeypox? Fact Sheet CDC Info. WHO Info. Guidelines For Vets, Pet Owners

Previously, U.S. patients with monkeypox contracted the disease from infected animals.

Davis declined to identify the health care worker or where the worker was located.

He said health officials and scientists haven't confirmed the presence of the monkeypox virus in the worker, but they suspect it and are still testing tissue specimens.

Although the virus has been shown to spread among humans in Africa, experts say it's not the primary transmission method. Instead, the virus generally passes among infected animals, and then from the animals to humans who have contact with them.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 54 suspected cases of the disease in four states -- nine of them confirmed. About 10 people have been hospitalized.

With more cases of monkeypox being suspected, federal health officials are moving more aggressively to prevent it from spreading further.

The government has issued a ban on selling rodents from Africa as pets in the United States. The rodents are apparently the source of the virus.

Gambian rats and five other types of large African rodents are included in the ban because a Gambian rat is believed to have spread the virus to prairie dogs, which are actually rodents and are native to the American Plains. Some people keep prairie dogs as pets.

The government also issued a ban on the sale or movement of prairie dogs between states and within state boundaries.

The CDC recommends smallpox vaccinations for people who have come in contact with infected persons or animals. The smallpox vaccine can prevent monkeypox up to two weeks after exposure, but it's most effective in the first four days.

The CDC said studies have shown that smallpox vaccination is about 85 percent effective in preventing monkeypox. But the agency expects the number of people who will need the vaccine to be modest.

Monkeypox is a virus related to smallpox, but its symptoms are more mild. In Africa, the mortality rate has shown to be between 1 and 10 percent.

"Monkeypox can be a serious illness, and it has not been previously seen in humans in this hemisphere. CDC and a team of expert advisors carefully weighed the risk of smallpox vaccination against the risks posed by exposure to monkeypox infection in arriving at this important decision," said Dr. Julie Gerberding, CDC director.

The agency also issued guidelines for people who own prairie dogs or other exotic pets. Under no circumstances should they release their pets into the wild. If the pets are ill, owners should contact their state health departments for guidance.

"The biggest risk here, what we're trying to avoid is inadvertently introducing monkeypox into the natural wildlife system in this country. So do not, do not release sick animals out into the wild," said Dr. David Fleming, deputy director for CDC, at a press conference Wednesday.

In general, the CDC is recommending euthanasia for animals diagnosed with monkeypox.

[Orange1998]

Hummm. I thought CDC said it could not be passed from human to human.

[Prince Charles]

For the first time in the United States, monkeypox may have spread from person-to-person. A southeastern Wisconsin health care worker may have contracted monkeypox from a human patient, state epidemiologist Jeff Davis said.

It was only a matter of time.

[Prince Charles]

Ping.

[Orange1998]

I bet it's highly contagious.

[brewcrew]

I have seen SE Wisconsin health dept. officials on TV the last few nights, and my bet is they (including the CDC) are FREAKING OUT right now while trying to maintain a public calm. The number of states where suspected and confirmed cases are showing up is growing by the day, now this human-to-human transmission.

[Orange1998]

If chickenpox gives you shingles later in life I wonder what Monkeypox give you.

[brewcrew]

On the news last night they were talking about giving people the smallpox vaccination to prevent an outbreak. I'm not a doctor, and I don't play one on TV, but this sounds extremely fishy to me.

There's much we're not being told.

[Dane]

If chickenpox gives you shingles later in life I wonder what Monkeypox give you

I always thought a person was more succeptable to shingles in adulthood if they didn't have chicken pox during childhood.

[Orange1998]

Monkeypox Sends Local Youth To Hospital Other Families Quarantined, Hospitalized In Indiana POSTED: 6:40 a.m. CDT June 11, 2003 UPDATED: 8:29 a.m. CDT June 11, 2003 CHICAGO -- Five cases of the monkeypox virus have been confirmed -- one in the Chicago area and four in Wisconsin. Another 48 possible cases are reported: 8 in Illinois, 16 in Wisconsin, 23 in Indiana and one in New Jersey. Health officials continue to search in Illinois and six other states for dozens of prairie dogs and other exotic pets that are believed to have been exposed to the virus by a Gambian rat imported from Africa. The search has been complicated by transfers of animals from dealer to dealer. One of the suspected cases of monkeypox is Julien Glenn, 17, of Warrenville (pictured, left), who is now hospitalized because of the virus. Glenn bought a prairie dog at a swap meet, and he thinks it originally came through Phil's Pocket Pets in Villa Park -- the site of origin of the outbreak, according to health officials. (Suspected monkeypox sore on Glenn's arm, below right) http://images.ibsys.com/2003/0611/2262441_200X150.jpg Glenn's mother said he was hospitalized primarily because he has so many lesions in his throat and mouth, it is difficult to swallow. In Indiana, a family in Laporte has been quarantined. Members of a family in Adams County were all hospitalized after showing symptoms of rash, fever and chills. The Indiana Board of Health has banned the importation and sale of prairie dogs and Gambian rats.

[Orange1998]

quite the opposite.

[brewcrew]

It was my understanding that you could only get shingles as an adult if you had already had the chicken pox, and that you were more susceptible if the case of chicken pox you had was mild.

My neighbor never had chicken pox as a child and got them as an adult last year. You should have seen the size of some of the leisions. Almost like boils.

[Dane]

You are correct it seems, that people who have had chicken pox do get the shingles.

http://www.aftershingles.com/shingles.html

[iceskater]

chicken pox and monkeypox are totally different viruses. The only thing they have in common is the word "pox". You would not get shingles if you had monkeypox only.

[Orange1998]

I think Dave Letterman broke out on the face with shingles. I hear it's very painful.

[iceskater]

When you get chickenpox as a kid, the virus goes dormant in your nerves. (I think I've got that part right) Then, as an adult, something triggers it and you get shingles. It is quite painful from what I understand. I don't believe there is a correlation between how bad the case of chicken pox and how bad the shingles would be.

[Orange1998]

chicken pox and monkeypox are totally different viruses.,/i> Your correct since chickenpox does not give blister inside the throat and mouth. In my opinion Monkeypox is more serious.

[iceskater]

Monkeypox and smallpox are related (and neither are related to chicken pox). There were studies done that found that people who had been immunized against smallpox tended to be less susceptible to monkeypox.

[Dane]

I think Dave Letterman broke out on the face with shingles. I hear it's very painful.

That's what I've also heard and read.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

If chickenpox gives you shingles later in life I wonder what Monkeypox give you

Bricks

[codercpc]

Your correct since chickenpox does not give blister inside the throat and mouth. In my opinion Monkeypox is more serious.

Chickenpox can go anywhere. Inside the mouth, throat, vagina, even in the lungs.

The worst case I saw was a little girl who was hospitalized with chickenpox/pneumonia. The lesions actually infested her lungs. That was when I decided to vaccinate my 10 year old who had never had the chickenpox. It can be very dangerous. Generally the older you are the worst it is.