Mpox: Bengaluru Records Its First Case of 2025 in a 40-Year-Old Man with Travel History
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Synopsis
A 40-year-old man from Bengaluru, who traveled to Dubai, has tested positive for Mpox. He is currently receiving treatment at Victoria Hospital. The case comes as Mpox raised alarms globally, particularly in Africa, with WHO declaring a public health emergency. Further details are being investigated.
Key Takeaways
- New Mpox case reported in Bengaluru.
- Patient has travel history to Dubai.
- Mpox has a severe variant (clade 1b).
- WHO declared a public health emergency in 2024.
- Symptoms include fever and lesions.
New Delhi, Jan 23 (NationPress) A 40-year-old man from Bengaluru, who has a travel history to Dubai, has been confirmed to have tested positive for Mpox.
The individual is currently receiving treatment at Victoria Hospital, as reported by local media. Further investigations are ongoing to verify additional details surrounding this suspected case.
Mpox raised significant alarm in 2024, affecting approximately 15 countries across Africa and leading the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a public health emergency of international concern in mid-August.
The outbreak was initiated by the emergence of the poorly understood yet more perilous clade 1b variant, first identified in the DRC in September 2023. This strain has also been reported in nations such as Sweden and Thailand.
More recently, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed a case of the mpox variant clade 1b in England, marking the sixth case in the country since October of the previous year.
Clade 1b is recognized as a more lethal strain of Mpox, presenting a significant risk to children.
During 2024, India documented approximately three cases of Mpox, all attributed to clade IIb, which was responsible for the outbreak in 2022.
Symptoms of Mpox can include fever, blisters, swollen lymph nodes, and rectal bleeding; hence, early detection is crucial.
The WHO has also prequalified the vaccine developed by Bavarian Nordic against Mpox, marking the first vaccine approved for the deadly monkeypox virus (MPXV).
The Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN) vaccine is intended for active immunization against smallpox, Mpox, and related orthopoxvirus infections in adults aged 18 years and older.
This vaccine is administered as a two-dose injection, spaced four weeks apart.
The WHO categorizes Mpox as a viral illness stemming from the monkeypox virus, which is part of the Orthopoxvirus genus. Transmission to humans can occur through direct contact with an infected individual, contaminated materials, or infected animals.
Typical symptoms include skin rashes or mucosal lesions lasting 2 to 4 weeks, often followed by fever, headaches, muscle aches, back pain, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes, which typically resolve on their own. However, it can be fatal in certain instances.
