Pick+a+pathogen+-+RJ

Pathogen chosen: monkeypox

Monkeypox: • Viral disease • Occurs mostly in central and western Africa

Bio: • Founded 1958 in lab monkeys • Tests determined that the same virus can be caused from an African squirrel o Most common host of disease • Rats, mice, and rabbits are also animals who can get monkeypox • First spotted in humans in 1970

Information: • June of ’03 found in people of the U.S. • Most people received the disease from getting in contact with prairie dogs as pets that so happened to be sick with the disease o First outbreak in the U.S. • Belongs to group of viruses that has smallpox virus and cowpox virus • Deaths o 1% of the 10% who had it in Africa died from it • transmission o animal that has monkeypox • bitten • touching of animal’s blood • body fluids o can spread from person to person through respiratory droplets during long durated face-2-face contact • Treatment o No official treatment but in Africa a dose of the smallpox virus fixed it but nothing definite here in the U.S. It has been suggested of the smallpox vaccine to protect from monkeypox

Symptoms: • Swelling of the lymphnodes • 12 days into viral infection o fever o headache o muscle aches o back aches o fatigue • 1-3 days o fever and a rash o rash develops into raised bumps with fluid inside • starts on the face and spreads along the body • goes through many stages  crusty, scab, and fall off • LASTS FOR ABOUT 2-4 WEEKS

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/monkeypox/factsheet2.htm