Monkeypox – Risk Of Its Transmission From Humans To Pets
The zoonotic virus monkeypox may be transmitted to humans by some species of monkeys and apes. The infection then spreads from one person to another. Doctors recently revealed the first human instance of spreading the virus to a beloved dog at Paris's Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital.
Author:Suleman ShahReviewer:Han JuAug 22, 20227 Shares646 Views
The infection then spreads from one person to another.
The first probable incidence of human transmission of the monkeypox virus to an animal has been reported in The Lancet.
Doctors recently revealed the first human instance of spreading the virus to a beloved dog at Paris's Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital.
On July 23, 2022, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus designated monkeypox a Public HealthEmergency of International Concern.
Close contact with lesions, bodily fluids, or respiratory droplets from an infected person or animal is the most common transmission of the monkeypox virus from one individual to another.
Scientists are looking at the possibilities of sexual transmission since the current epidemic seems to be centered on males who have sex with males.
Patients 1 and 2 were tested for the monkeypox virus using a real-time polymerase chain reaction.
Viruses belonging to the hMPXV-1 clade, lineage B, were found in both samples; this strain has been circulating in non-endemic regions since at least 2022.
More than 1700 French people have been affected as of August 4, 2022, with most cases occurring in Paris, where the dog was initially seen with symptoms.
What Is Monkeypox?
Like smallpox, monkeypox is caused by a virus.
Fever, muscular pains, weariness, headaches, back pain, and enlarged lymph nodes may all be symptoms of monkeypox, but they may not be as severe as smallpox.
A person infected with the monkeypox virus will experience fever followed by the appearance of a rash a few days later.
The rash often resembles blisters or pimples and may appear in various places on the body.
It is carried by some animals, such as certain types of monkeys and squirrels.
Monkeypox may be transmitted to humans by animal bites and scratches.
Also, the virus may be transmitted to humans by the consumption of undercooked meat or animal by-products.
Kissing, extended face-to-face contact, and sexual contact are ways via which a person infected with the virus might spread it to others.
One other way that monkeypox may be spread is by contact with soft fabrics that a sick person has used as a pillow or a blanket.
Disease Transmission From Humans To Their Pets
The research found that two male cohabitating patients at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital were diagnosed with monkeypox by hospital staff.
Symptoms included fever, headaches, and a rash.
The male Italian greyhound was diagnosed with monkeypox 12 days after the first symptoms appeared.
Lesions characteristic of the disease were also seen on the dog.
Patients reported that their canine companion shared their beds with them.
The virus that infected the dog also appeared in the owners' skin lesions, so the doctors apparently tested those samples.
Dr. Richard Silvera, assistant professor of medicine (infectious diseases) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and associate program director of the Infectious Diseases Fellowship, said that it was not surprised to learn that monkeypox might transfer to a dog.
He reasoned that the same mechanisms that allow for human-to-human transmission of viruses, such as skin-to-skin contact or touching materials worn or slept in by someone with the sickness, would also allow for a transfer from human to animal.
In addition, the American Veterinary Medical Association's president, Dr. Lori Teller, has said that people's other pets, not only dogs, might potentially get monkeypox from their human owners.
Dr. Teller said,
“„in the United States and other non-endemic locations, a serious worry is the potential for spillover of monkeypox to wildlife from sick humans or domestic animals.
The fear of spreading monkeypox among humans is understandable, but now there is concern that it may be passed on to pets.
What Dr. Silvera described as "the same type of reasoning we're employing for human-to-human transmission" may also be used to animal transmission.
Do not share bedding or linens with anybody, not even a dog or cat, if you have monkeypox and live in a household with other humans or creatures.
If you have an active case of monkeypox, I wouldn't recommend letting them share your bed.
Conclusion
In endemic regions, monkeypox is exclusively carried by wild animals (rodents and primates).
There have been reports of the monkeypox virus spreading to prairie dogs in the United States and captive primates in Europe when they come into contact with imported cases.
No case of infection in dogs, cats, or other common household pets has ever been documented.
Suleman Shah
Author
Suleman Shah is a researcher and freelance writer. As a researcher, he has worked with MNS University of Agriculture, Multan (Pakistan) and Texas A & M University (USA). He regularly writes science articles and blogs for science news website immersse.com and open access publishers OA Publishing London and Scientific Times. He loves to keep himself updated on scientific developments and convert these developments into everyday language to update the readers about the developments in the scientific era. His primary research focus is Plant sciences, and he contributed to this field by publishing his research in scientific journals and presenting his work at many Conferences.
Shah graduated from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (Pakistan) and started his professional carrier with Jaffer Agro Services and later with the Agriculture Department of the Government of Pakistan. His research interest compelled and attracted him to proceed with his carrier in Plant sciences research. So, he started his Ph.D. in Soil Science at MNS University of Agriculture Multan (Pakistan). Later, he started working as a visiting scholar with Texas A&M University (USA).
Shah’s experience with big Open Excess publishers like Springers, Frontiers, MDPI, etc., testified to his belief in Open Access as a barrier-removing mechanism between researchers and the readers of their research. Shah believes that Open Access is revolutionizing the publication process and benefitting research in all fields.
Han Ju
Reviewer
Hello! I'm Han Ju, the heart behind World Wide Journals. My life is a unique tapestry woven from the threads of news, spirituality, and science, enriched by melodies from my guitar. Raised amidst tales of the ancient and the arcane, I developed a keen eye for the stories that truly matter. Through my work, I seek to bridge the seen with the unseen, marrying the rigor of science with the depth of spirituality.
Each article at World Wide Journals is a piece of this ongoing quest, blending analysis with personal reflection. Whether exploring quantum frontiers or strumming chords under the stars, my aim is to inspire and provoke thought, inviting you into a world where every discovery is a note in the grand symphony of existence.
Welcome aboard this journey of insight and exploration, where curiosity leads and music guides.
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