Monkeypox: Virologist Streeck on the big difference to Corona - and what makes you sit up and take notice
Created: 05/30/2022, 04:50
By: Maximilian Kettenbach
Virologist Hendrik Streeck on the spread of monkeypox.
© Christoph Hardt/Imago
Case numbers of people infected with monkeypox in Europe are increasing.
"That makes you sit up and take notice," says the virologist Hendrik Streeck, but above all he can give the all-clear.
Munich – The corona pandemic is taking what feels like a break in the German summer, when there are new warnings about a well-known virus, monkeypox.
One who has made a name for himself in the pandemic is Hendrik Streeck, Director of the Institute for Virology and HIV Research at the Medical Faculty of the University of Bonn.
Streeck explains to
Merkur.de
the big difference between the corona virus and monkeypox.
“Compared to other viruses, such as Corona, the virus is more difficult to transmit.
There must be close physical contact.
Transmission can take place via droplets, contact with pustules or possibly also via sexual intercourse.
Therefore, there is important news: The virus can be controlled using common measures.”
Monkeypox vs. Corona: Streeck names three major differences
The virologist is certain that normal containment measures would work for monkeypox and names two other factors that give hope: “We also have a vaccine that works.
It is also easier to identify people infected with monkeypox.
You get typical pustules.
In contrast to Corona, asymptomatic cases are hardly or not at all known.”
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) see it similarly to Streeck.
"According to current knowledge, a risk to the health of the general population in Germany is considered to be low," said the RKI after the first case in Germany.
At the same time, the authority pointed out that the RKI was continuing to monitor the situation very closely and was adapting its assessment to the current state of knowledge.
Lauterbach recommends a three-week isolation for infected people.
Streeck says
Merkur.de:
“The best thing is to find and isolate infected people.
Furthermore, potential contacts must be identified.
This contact tracing is an efficient medical-epidemiological measure to prevent chains of infection in a targeted manner.” The recommended three-week quarantine is perfectly fine because the incubation period for monkeypox can vary between 4 and 21 days.
Streeck advocates ring vaccination.
Contact persons infected with monkeypox would be vaccinated preventively against smallpox.
But it also seems clear: “It makes little sense to vaccinate the entire population.
The population born before 1976 already has partial protection from earlier smallpox vaccination.”
"Monkeypox no Corona": WHO gives the all-clear - Streeck sees a further increase in the number of cases
On the one hand, the World Health Organization said on Friday that there was no reason to panic, that the general public should “not be afraid, it is not Covid-19 or another disease that is spreading quickly,” as Sylvie Briand, director of the WHO department to prepare for threats of infection, said.
However, the WHO also warned that the spread of monkeypox may have only just begun.
"We don't know if we're just seeing the tip of the iceberg."
also read
Monkeypox in Germany: Munich and Berlin affected - WHO expert explains the route of infection
Monkeypox in Germany: Lauterbach announces isolation – countries “take the situation seriously”
Since the UK reported the first case of monkeypox on May 7, over 200 cases have been reported to the WHO from countries where the virus does not commonly spread.
Streeck is also certain: "We will see a further increase in the number of cases, if only because we continue to look for them in a targeted manner."
Streeck on monkeypox courses: "No deaths are known in the western world"
Despite all the all-clear, Streeck also points out that monkeypox must be taken seriously, as the disease can be fatal in rare cases.
“The disease is usually mild, but there are also febrile and severe courses, and deaths as well.
Monkeypox has been around for a long time, and there have always been major outbreaks in West or Central Africa.
In 2018 there were also cases in England.
What is unusual, however, is that there are currently a large number of cases at the same time in a short time and in different countries.
That makes you sit up and take notice.”
Streeck is not aware of any deaths from monkeypox in the western world.
As usual with such diseases, it depends on the overall constitution of the person and, above all, on their immune system.
Collective action by the world community is now more important than a lesson from the corona pandemic: “We should finally start to see such infectious diseases for what they are: it does not affect a country alone, but always us globally.
The international community should have already reacted to the outbreaks in West Africa.
We should also order the vaccine together as the EU and not plan to go it alone.”