Alaska Pox
13.02.2024
Alaska Pox
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For the Prelims:About Alaska Pox,Signs and Symptoms |
Why in the news?
An elderly man from Alaska recently became the first person to die after contracting Alaska Pox.
About Alaska Pox:
- It is an orthopox virus that was first discovered in Alaska, USA, in 2015.
- It is a double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the same genus (Orthopoxvirus) as smallpox, monkeypox, and cowpox.
- Orthopoxviruses are zoonotic viruses that can infect various mammals, including humans.
- Current evidence indicates that the Alaska Pox virus primarily occurs in small mammals. The virus has been most commonly identified in red-backed voles and shrews.
Signs and Symptoms:
○Symptoms of Alaska Pox include one or more skin lesions (bumps or pustules) and other symptoms like swollen lymph nodes and joint and/or muscle pain.
○Nearly all patients had mild illnesses that resolved on their own after a few weeks.
○Immunocompromised people might be at increased risk for more severe illness.
Can people with Alaskapox infect other people?
- While human-to-human transmission of Alaska Pox has not yet been observed, some orthopoxviruses can spread by direct contact with lesions (particularly broken skin contact with lesion secretions).
Source:Times Now world