Reemergence of monkeypox: prevention and management

ABSTRACT

Introduction

The reemergence of monkeypox virus in the twenty-first century, calls for an urgency in its control and preventive measures. There is a long-standing concern that the reemergence of monkeypox across countries could lead to another epidemic like the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the disease ecology, preventing its transmission could help curbing its spread. The established treatment protocols along with development of new antiviral agents and vaccines could play a pivotal role in controlling its transmission.

Areas covered

In this review, we summarize the different modes of transmission of this disease, the associated symptoms, the standard protocol of treatment, the available vaccines and use of alternative treatments. We have collated recent research on novel entities that could potentially treat monkeypox infection.

Expert opinion

The One Health approach fostered by the World Health Organization (WHO) for emergent and reemerging zoonotic diseases has to be implemented with a view to curb their transmission. The growing global population and increased inter-country travel has led to rapid spread of transmissible pathogens. Stigmatization, associated with lack of knowledge can be prevented by enhancing awareness campaigns. Vaccines need to be administered to high-risk individuals, and drug discovery efforts need to be intensified to combat such diseases.

KEYWORDS:

• Monkeypox
• therapeutics
• antiviral agents
• vaccines
• antibodies
• herbs

Article highlights

• In recent days, there have been global reports of re-emergence of monkeypox, a zoonotic disease. As the fear of a pandemic has quite recently diminished, the re-emergence of this poxvirus disease raises huge concerns. Understanding the modes of transmission and available treatment protocols is important to stop the spread of this poxvirus.

• The environmental changes and increased population, leading to increased travel and trade throughout the world has raised a global concern in monitoring and curbing the spread of such diseases, wherein the virus is no longer restricted to the country of its origin and the preliminary animals from which it first originated.

• The established vaccines for poxvirus, can play a vital role in prophylaxis, but need to be used cautiously in patients with immune deficiency. Alternatives like vaccinia immune globulins, herbal traditional medicines and new findings will be crucial in curbing the spread of this disease. Research focus on discovery of new antiviral entities targeting diverse stages in the viral life-cycle is an area that needs more funding and emphasis from global research agencies and pharmaceutical industries.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or material discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or mending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This work was not funded.