The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 28th August 2024 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Advancing Equity, from COVID-19 to Mpox

Why in News?

Less than five years after the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is facing another serious global health threat. The World Health Organization (WHO) has once again announced mpox (previously known as monkeypox) as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) due to its outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Africa, and its spread to more than a dozen African countries.

Introduction

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared monkeypox, a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) because there are many more cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and nearby African countries.
• Monkeypox has been found in 10 African countries this year, with most cases in the DRC. A new virus type, clade 1b, is spreading mainly through sex, which is very worrying.
• Another type of the virus (clade Ia) is spreading mostly among children in various ways, and the risk is seen as high.
• The PHEIC label is the highest alert level under International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005), showing that the disease could move beyond Africa.
• This is the second time in two years that monkeypox has been called a global emergency.

What is Mpox?

About:

• Mpox, also called monkeypox, is a DNA virus that belongs to the Poxviridae family, which is made up of large, double-stranded DNA viruses.
• Discovered in monkeys in 1958, Mpox can also infect humans. It spreads mainly from animals, especially rodents and primates, through direct contact or contaminated objects.
• When humans get infected with Mpox, they usually experience symptoms like fever, headache, muscle pains, and a distinct rash that develops from macules to papules, then vesicles, and finally pustules.
• Although a vaccine exists for Mpox, its availability and effectiveness are limited. This highlights the need for better prevention and control methods.
• Global attention was drawn to Mpox during a widespread outbreak that impacted over 100,000 individuals in more than 118 countries between 2022 and 2023. The outbreak involved significant human-to-human transmission, notably through close contact and sexual routes.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Mpox outbreak a public health emergency, prompting coordinated actions to contain its spread.

Genomic Features:

• Clades and Lineages: 
  • Mpox viruses are categorized into groups called clades. There are two main clades, named clade I and clade II. Evidence indicates that clade I tends to result in higher mortality rates.
  • During the outbreak in 2022, a new variant known as clade IIb emerged. This variant was found to be more suited for spreading from person to person.
• Genomic Analysis: 
  • Scientists discovered a unique subgroup within clade I that is linked to human-to-human transmission. This suggests a recent event where the virus crossed over from animals to humans.
• Evolutionary Adaptations: 
  • Mpox viruses can change their genetic makeup through processes like gene duplication or deletion. This allows them to adapt to different hosts and environments.
  • A research study detailed in Nature Communications examined the genetic code of the mpox virus during the 2022 outbreak. It revealed specific sections of the virus that strongly influence its ability to spread from person to person, acting like genetic switches.

Difference Between Small Pox, Chicken Pox, Mpox