The first 2 cases of monkeypox have been detected in Denmark.
The disease primarily occurs in men who have sex with men.
The Danish Health Authority has asked HIV organizations to pay special attention to the problem.
The following is primarily copy-paste from various guidelines, recommendations etc. from the Ministry of Health and the Danish Health Authority.
Bottle of Vaccine for booster shot for Smallpox and Monkeypox MPXV.
Doctor with vial of the doses vaccine for MPOX monkeypox disease
First case of monkeypox in Denmark.
The Ministry of Health issued a press release on May 23rd about monkey cups and writing:
A man has today tested positive for monkeypox in Denmark.
The man showed symptoms of infection after a trip to Spain and has therefore been in contact with Zealand University Hospital in Roskilde and Rigshospitalet.
He is now at home and in isolation.
There have been 59 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the EU/EEA member states and at least 10 more suspected cases.
On May 20, the Danish Health Authority sent an information letter to the HIV community, which states, among other things:
The current cases in Europe have primarily been among men who have had sexual relations with men (MSM) and many have been traveling prior to developing symptoms.
The course of the disease has generally been mild.
Guidelines from the Danish Health Authority from May 20 state:
There is currently a cluster of cases in Europe among men who have
sex with men (MSM) and where the mode of transmission is estimated to have occurred
via sexual contact.
The spread of monkeypox virus in this way has not previously been seen in Europe, but it is too early to assess whether this pattern is due to changes in the virus’ characteristics.
About Abekopper
Symptoms
Monkeypox causes symptoms such as fever, chills, headache and muscle pain.
After a few days, a rash develops, often starting on the face and then spreading to other parts of the body.
In some cases, the rash is typically seen around the genitals.
The disease usually resolves itself after 2-4 weeks.
Infection pathways
Monkeypox is transmitted through close contact, including sexual contact, and by sharing clothes or bedding with people who are sick with monkeypox.
Incubation period
The average incubation period is 6-16 days (range 5-21 days).
People who are infected are not contagious during the incubation period, but are contagious from the first symptoms appear until the scabs fall off.
The disease usually lasts 2-4 weeks.
Scarring may occur as the scabs heal.
Recommendations from the National Board of Health
There are no special recommendations for citizens specifically in relation to preventing infection from monkeypox, but the recommendations for good hygiene with frequent hand washing with soap and water or hand sanitizer still apply, and we encourage the use of condoms during sexual contact.
If you experience one or more of the above symptoms of monkeypox and suspect you may be infected, for example while traveling, you should initially contact your own doctor by phone rather than in person.
Treatment
After the onset of symptoms, supportive care including prevention of bacterial infections is recommended.
There are antiviral treatments and vaccines developed against smallpox that may be effective against monkeypox, but these are not marketed in Denmark and therefore require special authorization from the drug regulatory authorities.
The place of antivirals in the treatment of patients with monkeypox and the use of vaccines as post-exposure treatment is not yet finalized, but the guideline will be updated as more knowledge becomes available.
Decisions on the use of post-exposure treatment are made in collaboration with the Department of Infectious Diseases.
Background information
Monkeypox is caused by a rare virus related to the smallpox virus.
Monkeypox is a zoonosis and the actual animal reservoir is unknown, but is thought to be rodents, which can spread to monkeys and humans.
There are two types of monkeypox, with the West African variant generally milder than the Central African variant.
The disease is less severe than smallpox regardless of the variant.
