Global cases have broken thousands, can monkey acne spread through air?

Monkey acne may also be transmitted through gas solution like a new coronary virus

People are concerned about whether monkey acne can spread through air.

Recently, the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (hereinafter referred to as CDC) suddenly changed the guide for travelers to prevent monkey acne, and included "wearing masks" into it, saying that "wearing masks can help protect you from the infringement of many diseases, including monkeys smallpox".

The New York Times commented that this change prompts one aspect of rarely discussed during the current outbreak of the monkey acne: the virus can be transmitted through the air, at least through the air in a short distance.

Although this trip is recommended to be deleted quickly, the reason is to avoid "confusion" of this kind of disease that is mainly through direct contact, but CDC still emphasizes wear mask.

Some analysts believe that the transformation of CDC in the prevention policy may be "implied", and monkey acne may also be transmitted through gas solution like a new coronary virus. Jin Dongyan, a professor at the School of Biomedicine of the University of Hong Kong, also said in an interview with China News Weekly that "CDC deletes (the suggestion of wearing a mask) and does not mean that you do not need to wear a mask."

Since the first case of the British report on May 7, there have been many countries and regions around the world. The World Health Organization said on June 8 that according to the latest data, more than 1,000 confirmed cases reported from 29 non -acne pop countries have been received.

Hidden spread for months

Monkey acne was not a new disease, and was named for the first time in monkeys in 1958. In 1970, the Congo discovered the first case of human infection. As a kind of human and animals, monkey acne virus is similar to smallpox, and similar symptoms will occur after infection, but it is more milder.

Generally speaking, fever, headache, muscle soreness, back pain, lymphadenopathy and other symptoms in the initial stage of human infection of monkey acne, which can be developed into a large range of rash on the face and body. Most of the symptoms of the monkey acne disappear within 2 to 4 weeks, but some patients may have complications or even death. Newborns, children and people with basic diseases with immune defects may face more severe symptoms and risk of death.

Over the years, monkey acne has not been known for most people, mainly because of its weaker infectious and low mortality.

There are two evolutionary branches of monkey acne virus, which are Western African evolution branches and the Revolutionary Branch of the Congo Basin (China -Africa). The branch of the Congo Basin seems to cause more serious diseases. The mortality rate reported before was as high as 10%, which was considered to be more contagious. The mortality rate is about 1%.

According to the disease information notification issued by the WHO, preliminary data analysis shows that monkey acne virus strains detected in Europe and other non -popular areas belong to West African evolution branches.

According to US Federal Health officials, most cases in the country are currently the same virus strains as European cases, but different virus strains are detected in two samples. The virus gene sequencing is similar.

This means that before the outbreak of this wave of acne epidemic, the United States may have "hidden transmission" in the territory, but the degree of diffusion is not large, or it is misdiagnosed as other diseases.

"Different monkey acne virus strains are discovered, indicating that the current communication is introduced to Europe and other places from Africa through many sources." Jin Dongyan analyzed that these cumulative discovery monkey acne cases did not happen overnight, which is equivalent to retrospective investigations. Dig out the past cases.

He further explained that there may also be a case of monkey acne infection before, but it was not found at the time, so it seemed that it suddenly broke out. But in fact, this round of acne epidemic may have been propagated for at least for a few months or even longer before the first discovery of May 7.

Can it be transmitted through the air?

"The unusual is that there are cases of infection in countries that usually do not have a case of acne. There have never been such an outbreak before." Dr. Rosamund Lewis, the chief monkey acne expert of the WHO It will not be very serious. The reason why the WHO has classified it as a medium risk, because monkey acne is spreading places where it has never been reported before, and this new communication model has developed rapidly.

It is understood that monkey acne is mainly transmitted by directly contacting the body fluid or sore on the patient's body, or directly contacting the material (such as clothes or sheets) that has been exposed to the body fluid or sore.

Earlier, CDC deleted the notice of "wearing masks" in the notice of monkey acne travel health, and did not respond to air communication. However, in the response prescription released on June 9th, CDC recommends that people who infect monkeys should wear masks when they may be close and face -to -face. In medical institutions, patients with suspected or confirmed monkey acne infection should be placed in a single room; any operation (such as intubation and extubation) that may transmit oral secretions (such as intubation and extubation) should be carried out in the air -transmission infection room.

So, will monkey acne virus spread through the air?

"When people are close and face -to -face, it may also spread through respiratory secretions." The CDC journal pointed out that in the current case of monkey acne, infected people usually have close and continuous physical contact with other people infected with viruses. Including sexual contact, and activities such as kissing, hugs or contact with monkey acne.

Lu Mengji, a Chinese virusist at Germany and a professor at Essen University, told China News Weekly that monkey acne virus can spread through saliva, but this is not the same as air transmission. "Generally speaking, monkey acne virus can be directly contacted, and even in the case of close distance, it rarely spreads through the air." He said. CDC also pointed out that there are important differences between air communication and discharge through respiratory tract secretions. When the small virus particles are suspended in the air and can stay there for a period of time, air transmission will occur. These particles can spread in the airflow, and sometimes even infected people who enter the room after the infected person leaves. In contrast, monkey acne may exist in droplets such as saliva or respiratory discharge, and these droplets will quickly fall off from the air. However, the long distance of monkey acne (such as air spread) has not been reported.

Jin Dongyan said that according to the transmission of smallpox virus before, the spread of droplets and air -soluble gels, contacting the transmission (acne in contact with the body's body damaged) is a possible way of transmission of monkey acne virus.

In this round of epidemic, the cases of acne discovered are mainly homosexual, bisexual and other male actors. However, whether monkey acne can spread through semen or vaginal fluids, it is unclear.

In Jin Dongyan's view, it is generally believed that the main way of spreading monkey acne virus is the spread of sexual contact, but it cannot be confirmed at present how it completes the spread, and the relevant evidence chain has not yet been established. He believes that the more reasonable explanation is that most of these male patients were infected after being damaged by other infected genitals.

The WHO prompts that the risk of infection of monkey acne is not limited to those who are active in sexual life or male actors. Anyone who has a close contact with people with infectious people is in danger.

Multi -nation is waiting

With the continuous spread of monkey acne epidemic, more and more countries have begun to wait.

On June 6, the US CDC raised the alarm level of the monkey acne epidemic to the second level (a total of three levels) to cope with the recent outbreak of the monkey acne epidemic; , Include monkey acne in the infectious disease that should be reported.

The South Korean government issued a notice to designate monkey acne as a second -level legal infectious disease on June 8, and also plans to introduce the third -generation monkey acne vaccine. When a secondary infectious disease occurs or is popular, it must be declared within 24 hours, and the infected person must accept isolation.

It is understood that there is no vaccine specifically for monkey acne, but monkey acne virus and smallpox virus are the same virus. This similarity makes the ceiling vaccine has a cross -protection effect on monkey acne. Studies have shown that smallpox vaccines (acne) can protect people from the infringement of monkey acne, with an effective rate of about 85%.

In response to potential communication risks, the United States said that the current 36,000 dose vaccine is being distributed to high -risk people who have been in contact with the virus. In addition, Britain and Germany have stated that they have placed their orders for vaccines.

The General Administration of Customs in my country has recently incorporated monkey acne into the target of strict prevention. Xu Wenbo, director of the China Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Center, said at a press conference on the State Council's joint prevention and control mechanism on June 9 that China has the ability to detect and monitor monkey acne virus nucleic acid through clinical specimens of suspected cases. Monkey acne cases.

According to Xu Wenbo, the China Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has established a detection method for dual targets for monkey acne virus genes, and has verified its sensitivity and specificity in Sierra Leone, Africa.

"It is unlikely to spread large -scale transmission in China in the future." Jin Dongyan said that the immune effect of inoculating the ceiling vaccine in the body is for life. Generally, people over 40 years of age have been vaccinated. A "intermediate barrier" was built in this group throughout the crowd.

He said, "Even if there is a sporadic case, it is unlikely to outbreak in China, and there is a wide range of interpersonal spreads."

Author: Niuhe ([email protected])

Edit: Cai Rupeng

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