| 2022–2023 mpox outbreak in Brazil | |
|---|---|
 Confirmed cases by state. | |
| Disease | Mpox |
| Virus strain | Monkeypox virus (West African clade) |
| Location | Brazil |
| Index case | São Paulo, Brazil |
| Date | 20 May 2022 – ongoing(3 years, 1 month, and 22 days) |
| Confirmed cases | 5,525 (as of 10 September 2022) |
| Suspected cases‡ | 6 |
Deaths | 2 |
| Government website | |
| (Brazil) | |
| ‡Suspected cases have not been confirmed by laboratory tests as being due to this strain, although some other strains may have been ruled out. | |
The2022–2023 mpox outbreak in Brazil is a part of theongoing outbreak ofhuman mpox caused by the West African clade of themonkeypox virus. The outbreak was first reported inBrazil on 9 June 2022 when a man inSão Paulo was registered as the country'sindex case.[1]
Mpox (/ˈɛmpɒks/,EM-poks; formerly known as monkeypox)[2] is an infectiousviral disease that can occur in humans and other animals. Symptoms include arash that formsblisters and then crusts over, fever, andswollen lymph nodes. The illness is usually mild, and most infected individuals recover within a few weeks without treatment. The time fromexposure to the onset of symptoms ranges from three to seventeen days, and symptoms typically last from two to four weeks. However, cases may be severe, especially in children, pregnant women, or people withsuppressed immune systems.[3][4][5]
The disease is caused by themonkeypox virus, azoonotic virus in the genusOrthopoxvirus. Thevariola virus, which causessmallpox, is also in this genus.[4] Human-to-human transmission can occur through direct contact with infected skin or body fluids, including sexual contact.[4] People remain infectious from the onset of symptoms until all the lesions have scabbed and healed.[3] The virus may spread from infected animals through handling infected meat or via bites or scratches.[3] Diagnosis can be confirmed bypolymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing a lesion for the virus'sDNA.[4]
Vaccination is recommended for those at high risk of infection.[4] No vaccine has been developed specifically against mpox, but smallpox vaccines have been found to be effective.[6] There is no specific treatment for the disease, so the aim of treatment is to manage the symptoms and prevent complications.[4][7] Antiviral drugs such astecovirimat can be used to treat mpox,[4] although their effectiveness has not been proven.[8]In May 2022, theWorld Health Organization (WHO) made an emergency announcement of the existence of a multi-countryoutbreak ofmpox, aviral disease then commonly known as "monkeypox".[9] The initial cluster of cases was found in theUnited Kingdom,[10] where the first case was detected inLondon on 6 May 2022[11] in a patient with a recent travel history fromNigeria where the disease has beenendemic.[12] On 16 May, theUK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed four new cases with no link to travel to a country where mpox is endemic.[11] Subsequently, cases have been reported from many countries and regions.[13] The outbreak marked the first time mpox had spread widely outsideCentral andWest Africa. The disease had been circulating and evolving in human hosts over several years before the outbreak and was caused by the clade IIb variant of the virus.[14]
On 23 July 2022, the Director-General of WHO,Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, declared the outbreak apublic health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), stating that "we have an outbreak that has spread around the world rapidly, through new modes of transmission, about which we understand too little".[15] A global response to the outbreak included public awareness campaigns in order to reduce spread of the disease, and repurposing of smallpox vaccines.[16][17]
A large portion of those infected were believed to have not recently traveled to areas of Africa where mpox is normally found, such asNigeria, theDemocratic Republic of the Congo as well ascentral andwestern Africa. It is believed to be transmitted by close contact with sick people, with extra caution for those individuals withlesions on their skin or genitals, along with their bedding and clothing. The CDC has also stated that individuals should avoid contact and consumption of dead animals such as rats, squirrels, monkeys and apes along with wild game or lotions derived from animals in Africa.[18]
In addition to more common symptoms, such as fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and rashes or lesions, some patients have also experiencedproctitis, an inflammation of the rectum lining. CDC has also warned clinicians to not rule out mpox in patients with sexually transmitted infections since there have been reports of co-infections withsyphilis,gonorrhea,chlamydia, andherpes.[19]
Three suspected mpox cases were reported in Brazil on 30 May 2022.[20] On 9 June, a 41-year-old man, who had recently travelled toSpain andPortugal and had been admitted to a São Paulo hospital, tested positive for the virus.[1]
On 29 July, the first death was reported outside of Endemic african countries[21] and the country's first mpox cases in children were confirmed in three kids fromSão Paulo city.[22]
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| This graph was using thelegacy Graph extension, which is no longer supported. It needs to be converted to thenew Chart extension. |
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