Malappuram man under observation with suspected Mpox symptoms

Malappuram: A 38-year-old man from Edavanna, Malappuram, who showed symptoms of Mpox, has been put under observation at the Manjeri Medical College Hospital. The man had returned from Dubai a week ago, reported Manorama News.

He then sought treatment for high fever at the casualty of Manjeri hospital, where the doctors noted bumps on his body, prompting concerns of a possible Mpox infection.
Health officials have sent the man's samples to Kozhikode Medical College for further testing, and results are currently awaited.

What is Mpox?
Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a viral zoonotic disease caused by the mpox virus. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it primarily occurs in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa and is occasionally detected in other regions. The disease was renamed from "monkeypox" to "mpox" to avoid stigma and misleading associations.

Symptoms
Mpox typically presents with a fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to various medical complications. The rash often starts on the face and spreads to other body parts.

Transmission
The virus can spread from animals to humans through direct contact with infected animals' blood, bodily fluids, or cutaneous or mucosal lesions. Human-to-human transmission can occur through respiratory droplets, direct contact with infected bodily fluids or lesions, and indirectly through contaminated materials.