The patient was in contact with a person who had the infection during the trip. His state of health is good and he remains isolated in Córdoba, where he resides.
Source: Infobae
The National Ministry of Health confirmed the sixth case of monkeypox in Argentina. This is a 25-year-old man living in Córdoba who, during a trip to Mexico, was in contact with a person who had the infection. The diagnosis was confirmed after the PCR test carried out by the ANLIS Malbrán Institute.
The patient evolves favorably under home control and isolation, according to the national authorities. The man began with symptoms of fever, severe headache and general malaise on June 19, on the 20th he arrived in Argentina and on the 25th he made a telephone medical consultation, according to reports from the Epidemiology area of the province of Córdoba.
After the initial evaluation in a hospital, the necessary samples were sent to Malbrán where the PCR test came back positive for monkeypox. According to the information provided by the province, the person has been in isolation since the day he arrived in the country, June 20, and is progressing favorably with home monitoring. In parallel, the epidemiological investigation is ongoing to determine possible close contacts.
From May 27 to date, six cases of this disease have been confirmed in the country, five with travel history. This is the first confirmed case with a stay outside Europe.
Worldwide, as of June 22, 3,413 confirmed cases have been reported in 50 countries, of which 86% were reported in Europe (2,933), 11% in America (381), 2% in Africa (73) and less than 1% in the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific regions (26). So far, the first and only death from this monkeypox outbreak has been recorded in Nigeria.
Monkeypox is spread from person to person by close contact with lesions, respiratory particles, and contaminated materials such as bedding. “In the current outbreak in different non-endemic countries, the clinical symptoms are mild and most present –in the same way as the cases detected so far in Argentina– lesions in different parts of the body, including the genitals or the perigenital area, which indicates that transmission probably occurs through physical contact during sexual activities, “said the national health authorities.
The most common symptoms are fever, headache, muscle or back pain, swollen glands and tiredness. Between one and five days after the first signs, the rash may appear on the skin, which goes through different stages until it forms a crust that then falls off.
Infected people are contagious until all the scabs have fallen off. Prevention measures include avoiding close contact with confirmed cases and people with compatible symptoms.
In the recent cases reported outside the African continent, it is observed that the presentation may be atypical, either with one or a few lesions, and cases with their absence have even been reported; lesions that start in the genital or perineal/perianal area and do not spread further; lesions appearing at different (asynchronous) stages of development; and appearance of lesions prior to the appearance of swollen lymph nodes, fever, malaise or other symptoms.
The modes of transmission during sexual intercourse remain unknown. While it is known that close physical contact can lead to transmission, it is not yet clear what role sexual body fluids, including semen and vaginal fluids, play.
“Those who present any of the symptoms described should consult immediately to be evaluated by a health professional, use a properly placed chinstrap and avoid close contact with other people,” warned the Argentine Ministry of Health.
