China has reported the first human death due to Monkey B virus as Beijing-based Veterinarian who was confirmed as the first human infection case with Monkey B Virus. A Beijing-based veterinary surgeon was infected with the virus after he dissected two dead monkeys in early March 2021. Veterinarian started experiencing nausea and vomiting and a month later, fever and neurological symptoms followed. He visited several hospitals but eventually died on May 27, China CDC Weekly revealed Saturday. Meanwhile family members and all close contact of the patient are reported to have tested negative for Monkey B Virus and are safe from it.
Monkey B Virus
B virus infection is extremely rare, but it can lead to severe brain damage or death. The risk of disease spreading to human is very low as most people will not come in contact with monkeys. However, laboratory workers, veterinarians, and others who may be exposed to monkeys or their specimens have a higher risk of getting B virus infection. People typically get infected with B virus if they are bitten or scratched by an infected macaque monkey, or have contact with the monkey’s eyes, nose, or mouth. earlier only one case has been documented of an infected person spreading B virus to another person. B virus can spread from infected macaque monkeys to people. About 70 to 80% of these macaques have been found to be B virus positives, and it can be found in their saliva, feces (poop), urine (pee), or brain or spinal cord tissue. The virus may also be found in cells coming from an infected monkey in a lab. B virus can survive for hours on surfaces, particularly when moist.
Symptoms of Monkey B Virus
The first indications of B virus infection are typically flu-like symptoms, fever and chills, muscle ache, fatigue, headache Infected person may develop small blisters in the wound or area on your body that had contact with the monkey. Symptoms typically start within one month of being exposed to a monkey with B virus infection, but could appear in as little as three to seven days. As the disease progresses, the virus spreads to and causes inflammation (swelling) of the brain and spinal cord. This can lead to brain damage and severe damage to the nervous system, difficulty in breathing and death can occur one day to three weeks after symptoms appear. It may be possible for people to have mild B virus infection or no symptoms. However, there are no studies or evidence of this.
A rare case of Monkeypox Virus detected in Texas
Meanwhile, a rare case of a person infected with the monkeypox virus has been detected in Texas, US. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed on July 15 a case of human monkeypox in a US resident who recently traveled from Nigeria to the United States. Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research, hence the name ‘monkeypox.’ The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo during a period of intensified effort to eliminate smallpox. Since then monkeypox has been reported in humans in other central and western African countries.
In 2003, the U.S. experienced an outbreak of monkeypox. This was the first time human monkeypox was reported outside of Africa. 47 confirmed and probable cases of monkeypox were reported from six states—Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin – during the 2003 U.S. outbreak.
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