Infectious Diseases Specialist Prof. Sarhan Sakarya said that people who received smallpox vaccine before 1980 are immune to monkeypox by 80 percent.
While the whole world was alarmed with every new outbreak news after the Covid-19 pandemic, the monkeypox outbreak in Africa triggered a similar fear. Stating that monkeypox will not cause an outbreak at a level that will lock people in their homes as in the pandemic, Medicana Health Group Infectious Diseases Specialist Prof. Sarhan Sakarya said that people who were vaccinated against smallpox before 1980 were immune to monkeypox by 80 percent.
Emphasizing that monkeypox is actually a smallpox disease and that it got its name from here because it was first seen in monkeys, Infectious Diseases Specialist Prof. Sarhan Sakarya said, “The mode of transmission, spread rate and effect of the disease is not as dangerous as Covid-19, and we did not have a vaccine in Covid-19. Now we have a vaccine approved by world authorities against monkeypox. By producing these quickly, this can be easily prevented by vaccination.”
Transmission by contact
Sharing information about the ways of transmission, Prof. Dr. Sakarya said, “This virus is found in the secretions of humans, all kinds of fluid transfer, blood saliva, sexual intercourse cause the transmission of this virus. It can also be transmitted in cases such as the sheets on which the sick person slept and the common use of clothes.” Adding that monkeypox, which starts with flu-like symptoms, also has symptoms such as fever, weakness, swelling in the lymph nodes, Sakarya said, “There are currently 99 thousand cases announced by the World Health Organization. There has not been a case registered in Turkey yet.”
Symptoms start with a rash
Stating that the effect of the disease begins to be seen in the form of rashes on the hands, arms, legs and faces in a period of 1 to 3 weeks after infection, Sakarya said, “Afterwards, these rashes become inflamed large sacs with a milky consistency. Then they deflate and the process is completed with the complete disappearance of the rashes. However, even if these sacs deflate, the risk of transmission continues until the lesions are completely gone.”
Prof. Dr. Sarhan Sakarya stated that it is understandable for people to fear “Is a new pandemic coming?” after the Covid-19 pandemic and noted the following: “However, when we compare this disease with Covid, the risk of transmission is more difficult compared to Covid, the lethal effect is less, your recovery rate is high by completing the process even if you do not receive treatment, and most importantly, since it is a form of smallpox, this disease can be prevented from becoming a pandemic with smallpox vaccine. In Covid-19, it was spread through respiration without showing any symptoms during the transmission period. In this case, the formation of pimples on the hands, arms, legs and face that people can see will allow the sick person to be easily recognized, which is one of the factors that stop the spread.”
How can we be protected?
Saying that a distance of 1 meter should be maintained with sick people, Sakarya summarized the ways to protect against the disease as follows: “If we stay at a distance that will prevent saliva particles from mixing with your breathing and if we stop contact with the sick person, we minimize the risk of transmission. If a family member is ill, it is possible to complete the process with a 21-day isolation by separating the room and separating the toilet if possible without touching the sheets and clothes. Another possibility of transmission is trying on clothes in stores, using materials such as sun lounger cushions that everyone uses on the beaches, such contacts should be paid attention to. There is no effective medication for this disease yet, but we complete an average of 3 weeks without taking any medication and overcome the process. The risk is high for immunocompromised elderly patients and people undergoing chemotherapy.”
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