For the first time since the discovery of virus One in nine years Person died from Alaska virusconfirmed the health authorities of this US state. This is an older man from the Kenai Peninsula, south of Anchoragewho died in late January while being treated for other illnesses.
He The patient was undergoing cancer treatment and had one weakened immune system According to the Alaska government, which did not provide the exact age, medication may have contributed to the severity of his illness.
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The deceased man lived alone in a wooded area and did not report any recent travel or close contact, illness or similar injuries, the British newspaper reported. Guardian.
The man said he was taking care of a stray cat in his house.
However, The cat tested negative for the virusbut it regularly hunted small mammals and frequently scratched the patient.
Likewise those Alaska health officials They assured that only six cases have been filed since the first registration in 2015.
All The people involved lived in the Fairbanks areais more than 483 kilometers from the peninsula Kenailocal health officials announced.
The presence of human infection by Alaska smallpox (orthopoxvirus) This is due in part to the cessation of smallpox vaccination and waning immunity at the population level, as reported by the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA, abbreviation for English).
Meanwhile, the organization explained that in July 2015, a woman was living inland Alaska He presented to an emergency clinic with a skin lesion suggestive of smallpox infection, which was later confirmed by laboratory tests.
*Graphics: Erick Retana.
Other Symptoms that he presented were Fever, body ache And Inflammation of the lymph nodes.
After the check-ups, five days after the first symptoms, The woman had skin ulcersBlisters measuring one centimeter and one millimeter in diameter around the ulcers on the shoulders that caused heat and pain when touched, as well as erythema (redness of the skin associated with viral infections).
Smallpox is the most common of these types of diseases.
Other members of this family include camelpox, cowpox, horsepox and Mpoxen, formerly known as monkeypox, outbreaks of which have been recently reported.
TRACKING THE ORIGIN OF THE INFECTION
To determine how the patient became infected, The possibility of becoming infected with viruses during a trip to Azerbaijan was investigated and the fact that his children were handling squirrel carcasses, but the sampling was inconclusive.
Given the uncertainty about the incubation period of this new smallpox, the IDSA A conservative threshold of four weeks was adopted based on the incubation period human monkeypox.
The Health authorities of Alaska I reported that There is no evidence that the virus is transmitted through human contact..
However, They recommended washing hands if you have contact with a person who has cuts similar to those caused by this type of infection.
Another recommendation is to avoid sharing clothing with people who may be infected with this virus. virusAdditionally, follow health authorities’ precautions when in contact with wild animals to avoid contracting the disease.
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