As of: February 13, 2024, 12:06 p.m
By: Karolin Schaefer
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In the USA, a man dies after being infected with the novel Alaskapox virus.
The first official death of this kind brings new insights.
Fairbank - The world has been considered smallpox-free since 1980 - at least for infections caused by the variola virus.
However, there are also diseases caused by related viruses in animals.
Although these are much milder, they still occur - including the Alaska smallpox virus (AKPV).
Red pustules under arm: man dies after contracting Alaska smallpox virus in the USA
A man in the United States recently died as a result of the infectious disease, the Alaska state health authority announced in a statement on Friday (February 9).
The man previously lived on the Kenai Peninsula in a remote forest area.
His age is not known.
In September 2023, he noticed red pustules in his armpit.
After several doctor visits and antibiotic treatment showed no improvement, he was admitted to the hospital.
His rash developed into a lesion.
An infection with the Alaskapox virus was then detected in the laboratory.
A skin lesion during an infection with Alaska smallpox - about ten days after symptoms appear.
© Alaska Department of Health
At first his health seemed to be improving.
But the wound healed only slowly.
At the end of January, his condition worsened and eventually kidney failure and respiratory failure led to his death.
The man was already suffering from cancer that had weakened his immune system.
“The patient's immunocompromised condition likely contributed to the severity of the illness,” the agency reported.
First person dies from Alaska smallpox virus: Authorities investigate cause of infection
How the man became infected still needs to be clarified.
The deceased previously stated that he had been caring for a stray cat.
He was also doing gardening at the time of the infection.
The cat tested negative for the virus, but authorities suspect that the infection could have been transmitted through its claws.
Authorities said there was a “noticeable” scratch near the armpit.
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The virus was first detected in 2015 in the Fairbanks region, the second largest city in the US state of Alaska.
Like the monkeypox virus and cowpox virus, it is one of the orthopoxviruses.
Many of these viruses are zoonoses.
The viruses can therefore be transmitted from animals to humans or vice versa.
These symptoms may occur when infected with the Alaskapox virus:
Rash/skin lesions
Enlargement of lymph nodes
Joint or muscle pain
Death with Alaskapox virus: Six infections reported in Alaska so far
Infected people usually recover within a few weeks.
Only in rare cases can an infection with orthopoxviruses be fatal, particularly affecting people with weakened immune systems.
However, the Alaska smallpox virus is still relatively unexplored.
Additional serious illnesses can occur as a result of an infection.
Accordingly, the man from Alaska developed myositis - an inflammation of the shoulder muscles.
This later led to kidney failure.
Research by the agency found that current or previous AKPV infections originated in a variety of small mammals, particularly mice.
So far, six cases of the novel virus have been reported in people in Alaska.
All infections were identified in the Fairbanks region - more than 300 miles (480 kilometers) from the Kenai Peninsula.
The health authority therefore assumes that the virus appears to be more widespread in small mammals than previously assumed.
However, human-to-human transmission has not yet been documented.
Meanwhile, the WHO warns about the infectious disease MPOX.