News

Second Monkeypox Death In The US As Virus Linked To Brain Inflammation

A second monkeypox death in the US on Tuesday as health authorities published a study describing how two previously healthy young men experienced inflammation of the brain and spinal cord as a result of the virus.

There have been nearly 22,000 US cases in the current global outbreak, which began in May, but new infections have been falling since mid-August as authorities have distributed hundreds of thousands of vaccine doses.

The latest fatal case involved a severely immunocompromised resident of Los Angeles County who had been hospitalized, the local health department said, without revealing further details about the case.

“Persons severely immunocompromised who suspect they have monkeypox are encouraged to seek medical care and treatment early and remain under the care of a provider during their illness,” the department said.

The first US death linked to the viral illness occurred in Texas and was announced on August 30, although authorities said that as the person was severely immunocompromised, they were investigating what role monkeypox had played.

The current global outbreak is primarily affecting men who have sex with men.

Historically, the virus has been spread via direct contact with lesions, body fluids, and respiratory droplets, and sometimes through indirect contamination via surfaces such as shared bedding.

But in this outbreak, there is preliminary evidence that sexual transmission may also play a role.

Brain And Spinal Cord Inflammation

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention meanwhile published a report about two unvaccinated men in their 30s who experienced brain and spinal cord inflammation after testing positive for the virus.

The first, patient A, was a gay man in his 30s from Colorado whose symptoms began with fever chills, and malaise but progressed to rashes on his face, scrotum, and extremities, with swabs of lesions testing positive for the virus.

He also developed lower extremity weakness and numbness, was unable to empty his bladder, experienced a persistent and painful erection, and was hospitalized.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed brain and spinal cord inflammation, and he was treated with the oral monkeypox antiviral tecovirimat as well as other drugs and began to improve at two weeks.

He was released but continued to have left leg weakness and required an assistive walking device at a one-month follow-up.

A second person, patient B, was also a gay man in his 30s from the capital Washington. His fever, rashes, and muscle pain progressed to bowel and bladder incontinence and progressive flaccid weakness of both legs.

Brain and spinal cord inflammation were confirmed on MRI and he was intubated in an intensive care unit, where he was treated with intravenous tecovirimat, as well as a drug to reduce inflammation, and finally blood plasma exchange.

He remains in the hospital but can walk with the assistance of a device.

The report said the underlying mechanism behind the two cases was unclear — it might have been a direct invasion of the central nervous system, or an autoimmune response triggered by monkeypox infection elsewhere in the body.

Sources: AFP

Adib Mohd

Recent Posts

From Cookies to Classrooms: Starbucks Raises Over RM100K to Revive Centre for the Deaf

What if your sweet tooth could change lives? Since 2018, Starbucks Malaysia has raised over… Read More

23 hours ago

Tous les Jours Expands in Malaysia with New Outlets at Sunway Pyramid and Sunway Velocity

Malaysian fans of delectable K-inspired baked goods will be delighted to hear that Tous Les… Read More

1 day ago

Stitch Lands in KL, Disney’s Blue Menace Takes Over Pavilion This School Holiday

Get ready for a school holiday filled with tropical vibes as Pavilion Kuala Lumpur transforms… Read More

1 day ago

Malaysia Gears Up for Southeast Asia’s First Smart City Expo, Here’s Why You Should Care

Kuala Lumpur just flipped the switch on something big. The 100-day countdown to Smart City… Read More

1 day ago

Ejen Ali: The Movie Review, A Next-Level Win for Malaysian Animation

Ejen Ali: The Movie 2 isn’t just a sequel, it’s a bold upgrade that proves… Read More

1 day ago

When Creativity Meets Comfort: LEGO® and IKEA Malaysia Reimagine Home Decor

When Creativity Meets Comfort: LEGO® and IKEA Malaysia Reimagine Home Decor With its latest collection… Read More

3 days ago

This website uses cookies.