Mpox is classified as a certifiable category 2 communicable disease in Taiwan.
Causative agent of Mpox
In 1958, Mpox virus was first discovered in monkeys used in research, hence its name.Mpox virus is classified as Poxviridae.This zoonotic disease caused by an orthopoxvirus, is transmitted to humans by rodents and primates. With the eradication of smallpox in 1980 and the subsequent cessation of smallpox vaccination, Mpox became the most serious orthopoxvirus infection in existence.
Transmission of Mpox
Zoonotic Infection: Infected by direct contact with blood, body fluids, damaged skin or mucous membranes of infected animals. Eating infected animal meat is also a risk factor.
1. Human-to-Human Transmission: Infection through contact with infected respiratory secretions, scratched skin or mucous membranes, or contaminated items. Droplet transmission is more likely to occur in long-term face-to-face contact situations, so medical staff and family members who live with an infected patient have a greater risk of infection. If a mother is infected with Mpox virus, it can be transmitted vertically through the placenta to the fetus, or it can be transmitted through contact during labor.
Although close contact is known to be a risk factor for transmission, it has not been determined whether Mpox is transmitted through sexual contact. It is estimated that the risk of virus transmission through close contact is high,
but the risk of transmission between individuals without close contact is very low.
Incubation period of Mpox
The incubation period of Mpox is about 5-21 days, usually 6-13 days.
Mpox is similar to smallpox, but milder. Symptoms include fever,chills/shivers, sweating, headache, muscle pain, swollen lymph glands
(such as around the ears, armpits, neck orgroin), and extreme tiredness. Skin lesions will appear one to three days after the fever and usually spread from the face to other parts of the body, more often the extremities than the trunk.
After the skin lesions appear, they will change according to the stages of macules, papules, vesicles, and pustules, and finally the crusts will fall off. In severe cases, the number of rash sites can reach thousands.
Symptoms might last for 14 to 21 days. The fatality rate is less than 10%, with most cases recovering within a few weeks. Children and immunocompromised persons are especially prone to severe illness; complications include secondary bacterial infection, pneumonia, sepsis, etc.
Prevention of Mpox
- Reduce the risk of zoonotic transmission:
- When traveling to areas where Mpox virus is endemic, avoid contact with rodents and primates, as well as sick or dead animals. All food must be thoroughly cooked before consumption.
- Reduce risk of human-to-human transmission: Avoid contact with Mpox-infected individuals. Please follow standard protective measures, protective measures for contact infection, and protective measures for droplet infection when caring for suspected or confirmed cases in hospitals. It is recommended that examination/medical care personnel wear gloves, isolation gowns, medical masks, and eye protection equipment (goggles or full-face masks). For positive cases, contact tracing should be initiated and contacted mammalian pets should be isolated.
- If you have any suspected symptoms, seek medical treatment as soon as possible and inform the medical staff of relevant travel and contact history. For related information, please refer to the CDC (Taiwan
Centers for Disease Control) website (https://www.cdc.gov.tw/), or call the tollfree epidemic prevention hotline 1922 (or 0800-001922)
