The Ministry of Health confirmed the third case of monkeypox in the country in a 36-year-old citizen residing in the City of Buenos Aires, the first with no travel history in the country.
The INEI-ANLIS Malbrán National Reference Laboratory confirmed on June 9 the first case of monkeypox with no travel history in Argentina in a 36-year-old man residing in CABA who “is in good health, complying with the corresponding isolation and hospitalized for his care.
The portfolio detailed that the patient made the first consultation on June 6 at a private clinic in the city of Buenos Aires and that he began symptoms on May 31, presenting headache and muscle pain, fever, back pain.
In addition, he developed “vesicular rashes starting on June 2. On the 7th of that month, the case was reported and the sample was sent to the ANLIS Malbrán laboratory, which issued a positive PCR result on June 9.”
This is the third confirmed case in the country and the three patients are in good health, without complications, while no secondary cases were detected among close contacts.
In the world, 1,285 cases were reported as of June 8 in 28 countries where monkeypox is not endemic, with no deaths.
Since the beginning of the year, on the African continent, 1,536 suspected cases have been reported (1,356 correspond to the Democratic Republic of the Congo) and 72 deaths.
Monkeypox is spread from person to person by close contact with lesions, respiratory particles, and contaminated materials such as bedding.
In the outbreaks recorded in Europe, the clinical presentation is generally described as mild, and most cases present -in the same way as the cases detected so far in Argentina- lesions in different parts of the body.
This includes the genitals or the perigenital area, indicating that transmission is likely to occur through physical contact during sexual activity.
The classic symptoms are: fever, headache, muscle or back pain, swollen glands and tiredness.
Between 1 and 5 days later, a rash is added to 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.
Modes of transmission during sexual contact remain unknown, although it is known that close physical contact can lead to transmission, “it is unclear what role sexual body fluids, including semen and vaginal fluids, play in transmission “, indicated the Ministry.
Prevention measures include avoiding close contact with people with compatible symptoms, including intimate or sexual contact with people during the period of illness.
The Ministry stressed that “it must be taken into account that the risk of transmission increases in sexual activities with multiple people.”
That is why those who have participated in this type of event “must pay attention to their state of health during the next 21 days and make a medical consultation before the appearance of symptoms compatible with the disease.”
