Virologist Maripaz Sánchez-Seco argues that this disease “will surely be well controlled” and will not become a pandemic like covid-19
Virologist Maripaz Sánchez-Seco, leader of the scientific team that has achieved the complete sequence of the virus responsible for monkeypox (or monkeypox), assures that this disease will stay in an outbreak Y it will not become a pandemic like covid-19 because, although more cases have been registered in recent days, “surely it will be well controlled“.
The expert, in statements to the EFE agency, has ruled out that the spread of this disease becomes alarming because, despite the fact that the data indicates that we are still “ascending”control measures are being put in place, isolation of positive cases and follow-up of contacts, so there will come “a time when this calms down”.
“I think this will be controlled by isolating positive cases and with him contact control. What I don’t know is how long the outbreak will spread and how long it will take to control it,” explained the virologist, head of the Arbovirus and imported viral diseases laboratory at the National Center for Microbiology.
PCR for monkeypox
The researcher from this national reference center has revealed that PCR tests are already being done in hospitals and has announced that next week they will probably start dating”commercial PCR“in the style of those that were developed to detect cases of covid-19.
Regarding the current expansion of this virus, the expert recalled that fundamentally spread by direct contact with lesions either with body fluids from an infected patient (as is the case with saliva).
“The transmission mechanism is always close contact“, he added, while explaining that it is not necessary for the general population to take action, unless someone has engaged in risky behavior or if lesions compatible with this virus appear. In this case, he pointed out, you have to go to the hospital and ask, because they contact Public Health to assess the situation.
Sánchez-Seco has assured that it is possible that monkeypox can be transmit to pets because, since the virus is of animal origin, it cannot be ruled out that the pathogen will ‘jump’ again from humans to animals. Just like in the case of covid-19. For this reason, as recommended by the health authorities, patients with monkeypox should isolate yourself from your animals at home.
In this case, moreover, the expert has pointed out that this casuistry also is being studied by the Ministry of Agriculture so that, if there is any suspicion, some action can be taken.
Vaccines against monkeypox
Speaking about what to do to prevent further monkeypox infections, Sánchez-Seco argued that, in his opinion, right now the arrival of vaccines is not urgent. Even so, the expert has clarified, if the current measures and protocols fail to control the situation “perhaps it would be desirable” bet on immunizations against this virus.
Following the detection of these monkeypox outbreaks in Europe, the scientist pointed out that this monkeypox outbreak is a call to investigate what is happening in developing countries because, she lamented, “we only respond mostly when it comes to us“.
As an example, he indicated that it would be “very interesting” to know what what is happening with this virus at its originin Africa, something that has not been done until now because “the rich countries, not being affected, were not interested in investigating it”.
viral sequence
Sánchez-Seco has been one of those responsible for the first complete genetic sequence of the virus that causes monkeypox. According to the expert, this achievement is especially relevant because “it will allow the scientific community to have more information” to be able to a trace of smallpox Y know for sure where it came from.
It will also help to study the sequence of the virus and see if there is any kind of change that can justify a greater transmission of the same or is different from what is known so far. “That’s what it’s going to serve us for,” she added.
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According to the genetic studies carried out to date on the different outbreaks of monkeypox in Europe, for the moment it has not been detected no change that may indicate “as of today” that there may be a possible mutation of the virus that makes it more infectious or what cause more serious casesexplains Sánchez-Seco.
The scientist, however, has warned that it is something to study in depth because it is the pathogen responsible for monkeypox is “a large virus, the genome is complicated and it has to be analyzed well if there can be any change“.