Common Mpox symptoms that Malaysians should keep in mind

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Malaysians are eagerly anticipating their well-earned vacations, travelling to new places, and reconnecting with their loved ones as the year-end holiday season draws near. Despite the excitement, it’s crucial to keep in mind that new health issues are resurfacing in Malaysia and Asia.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared Mpox a global health concern. Recent outbreaks have highlighted the importance of awareness, prevention, and knowing what to do if exposed. A safe and healthy holiday season can be ensured by being informed and prepared, even if Mpox is less severe and contagious as compared to smallpox.

What is Mpox?

The virus that causes mpox is still called monkeypox virus. However, WHO changed the name to mpox in November 2022 as it aligns with the WHO’s current recommendations for naming diseases in a way that avoids stigmas.

Like smallpox and cowpox, mpox belongs to the Orthopoxvirus family. Even though mpox and smallpox are similar, mpox still exists, especially in Central and West Africa. There are two main Clades.

Clade 1 (endemic in Central Africa), is known for higher transmission rates and more severe symptoms, such as pronounced skin lesions and respiratory issues. Whereas, a new variant, Clade 1b, (which is more prominent in West Africa), has emerged with greater human-to-human transmission and the ability to evade immune detection. We need to closely monitor this strain, as it may affect vaccine effectiveness and lead to higher rates of complications including severe skin lesions, respiratory distress, and even organ involvement.

Mpox has a distinctive rash that makes it easy to identify

So how can you kena mpox? Well, similarly to other diseases, it’s through close physical contact. The virus is transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids, skin lesions, or respiratory droplets during prolonged face-to-face contact as well as sexual contact. (~~Be careful, when you do the deed~~)

A common myth is that Mpox only affects men who have sex with men.

“While transmission rates may be higher in this community, Mpox can affect anyone through close contact, regardless of sexual orientation,”
Dr Aaron Lai Kuo Huo, Consultant Emergency Physician at Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City

Therefore, the most effective way to prevent transmission is to avoid close, skin-to-skin contact and sharing personal items (towels, clothing, etc.) with infected individual. If you’re wondering how to tell if someone has mpox or what the signs are, well some of the symptoms are pretty easy to identify.

For starters, the disease has a distinctive rash—blisters with a central umbilication. There are initial signs such as include flu-like symptoms like a fever, headache, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes which is then followed by a rash, appearing 1 to 3 days after the fever starts.

The rash starts on the face and spreads to the arms, legs, hands, and feet, progressing from flat spots to raised bumps, blisters, and pus-filled lesions that scab over. In some cases, the rash can lead to further complications like secondary bacterial infections, worsening the condition.

Isolate if you’ve been exposed to the disease

If you have been exposed or suspect that you might have mpox, you should:

Isolate immediately to prevent the spreading of the virus.
Seek medical advice from a healthcare provider for testing (usually involves swabs from skin lesions or the nasopharynx) and diagnosis.
Notify healthcare providers about your potential exposure so they can provide appropriate care.
Avoid contact, especially with vulnerable populations, including immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women, and children.

During Mpox outbreaks, certain populations are particularly vulnerable, such as individuals with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, children and people with multiple sexual partners. If the pregnant individual contracts Mpox, it could lead to miscarriages or preterm delivery. The disease can also be transmitted during childbirth if the mother has active skin lesions or postpartum through close contact during breastfeeding or caring for the infant.

Smallpox vaccines are 85% effective against Mpox

“Most patients with Mpox recover without needing hospitalisation, as supportive care such as pain relief, fever management and hydration can help manage the symptoms and its complications,”
Dr Aaron Lai Kuo Huo

Currently, there is no specific antiviral medication for Mpox. For patients with more severe symptoms, antivirals may help inhibit the virus from spreading within the body. But these treatments are usually reserved for more complicated cases, including secondary bacterial infections, respiratory issues, eye complications, and even bacterial superinfections.

Antiviral eye drops can help prevent vision loss in patients where the virus spreads to the eyes, stressing that early intervention is key to avoiding long-term damage.

Another misconception is that Mpox is as deadly as smallpox or spreads as easily as COVID-19. Most mpox cases are mild and self limiting says, Dr Aaron.

“While Mpox can be serious, particularly for vulnerable groups, the mortality rate is much lower than smallpox”
Dr Aaron Lai Kuo Huo

Measures taken to control the disease outbreak

To combat the spread of Mpox, health officials have implemented several of key measures, such as:

Border control and screening at airports and seaports.
Preparation in healthcare facilities with screening and isolation measures.
Case surveillance, isolation, and contact tracing to prevent further transmission.
Vaccination for high-risk groups, such as healthcare workers and close contacts of confirmed cases.

Understanding the virus, how it spreads, and the steps to prevent it is key to reducing its impact. So go on that well-earned vacation and enjoy your time before the year ends, but do remember to stay safe and take the necessary steps to protect you and your loved ones.