Monkeypox is caused by the monkeypox virus, which is part of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae family. This virus is related to the variola virus (which causes smallpox) and the vaccinia virus (used in the smallpox vaccine).
How Monkeypox Spreads:
1. Animal-to-Human Transmission:
- Direct Contact: The virus spreads from infected animals to humans through direct contact with the animal's blood, bodily fluids, or skin lesions. Infected animals typically include rodents like rats and squirrels, as well as non-human primates.
- Consumption of Infected Meat: Handling or eating undercooked meat from infected animals can also transmit the virus.
2. Human-to-Human Transmission:
- Close Contact: The virus can spread between humans through close physical contact. This includes exposure to respiratory droplets, skin lesions, or body fluids of an infected person.
- Contaminated Objects: The virus can also spread by touching objects like bedding, clothing, or surfaces that have been contaminated with the virus.
Natural Reservoir:
While the exact natural reservoir of the monkeypox virus is not definitively known, it is believed to be small mammals, particularly rodents, in the tropical rainforests of Africa, where the virus is endemic.
Symptoms:
After transmission, the virus can cause symptoms similar to smallpox, such as fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes, but the symptoms are generally milder.
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Preventive measures include avoiding contact with potentially infected animals, practicing good hygiene, and, in some cases, vaccination against smallpox, which offers some protection against monkeypox.