Ireland's top expert in tropical medicine believes it’s only a matter of time before a case of monkeypox arrives on these shores.
Dr Graham Fry – director of the Tropical Medical Bureau travel health clinics – said with cases recorded around Europe, it is highly likely the disease will make it to Ireland.
His comments come as the HSE confirmed it has put together a team of experts to respond to the health threat.
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The virus has already been found in the UK and there are fears it may spread to Ireland soon. Monkeypox is a relatively mild disease in most cases – and symptoms include fever, sweats and shakes and a flu-like condition.
The HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Service has assembled a response team following the outbreak in other parts of Europe.
Reports from other countries show that it is sexually transmitted and Dr Fry said recent cases seem to be primarily among men who have sex with men.
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For the majority of people it is a viral infection that presents with unsightly pox-type nodules – called pustules – on the body.
The virus is transmissible by breathing in an infected person’s droplets or through contact with the pustules.
A spokeswoman for the HSE said: “A team has been established to monitor this evolving situation and prepare services for the possibility of monkeypox cases arising in Ireland.”
Dr Fry told the Irish Mirror: “This is likely to happen as we have a lot of people coming here from all over the world.
“It’s perfectly possible and I would say it is unlikely we’d get away with no cases here.
“I would expect it to come here and would be surprised if it didn’t. But I wouldn’t be worried about it. Generally, people will get through it. I don’t think it’s going to be the next Covid. But it could be a nuisance.”
Dr Fry explained that monkeypox is not a new disease but it is mainly confined to Africa.
In the UK there have been nine cases identified. Most of the cases so far are in men who are gay, bisexual or who have sex with men.
As yet there is no concrete evidence of people getting the virus after travel, which could mean the virus is spreading among people who haven’t even been abroad.
“With cases in Europe, people have usually come back from west Africa.
“It’s from the same family as chickenpox and smallpox.
“It’s variable and can be mild or severe. The pustules it causes is the pox in the name.
“As with any viral disease, it can be more serious in people who are immunocompromised or have an underlying illness.
“Possibly then, it might be more significant. But for the majority of people it is a viral infection that presents with the pox-type nodules on the body.”
It’s transmissible by breathing in an infected person’s droplets or through contact with the pustules.
Said Dr Fry: “From the reports I’m seeing, the recent cases seem to be among men who have sex with men.
“It’s not surprising when you thinnk of the closeness of contact.
“It’s an STI, but then lots of things are sexually transmitted. If you have measles and you kiss while having sex, that’s an STI. It depends on how you define it.”
He said the main thing to remember is that if you feel sick, stay away from other people.
“If you’ve an infectious condition, don’t go out and about and mix.
“If you think you have monkey pox, ring your GP, but stay away from others and try not to pass it on.
“There is no cure or treatment - like there isn’t for chicken pox - and it is just a matter of your own body’s immune system sorting out the problem with time,”
There are no known monkeypox cases in Ireland at present.However, in the UK, there have been nine cases identified. Most of the cases so far are in men who are gay, bisexual or who have sex with men.
There is concern that there is no concrete evidence of people having contracted the virus after travel, which could mean the virus is spreading among people who haven’t even been abroad.
The HSE spokeswoman told the Irish Mirror: “The cases reported in the UK on May 14th and 16th 2022 do not have any history of travel to a country where monkeypox is routinely found.
“Where and how these cases acquired monkeypox infection is under urgent investigation by the UK authorities at present.
“Contact tracing is actively ongoing to identify persons who might have been in close contact with the cases.
“On May 18th 2022, the Directorate-General for Health in Portugal reported five confirmed and over 20 suspected cases of monkeypox identified in Portugal in May 2022.
“All suspected and confirmed cases are reported to be males, in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region.”
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