The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has confirmed that a man who recently traveled to Canada has been infected with monkeypox virus. This is the second case in the US, with the first being in Texas.  Other monkeypox cases have been identified in the U.K., Spain and Portugal. Most of the cases are among men who have sex with other men.

According to the CDC, transmission occurs when a person comes into contact with an animal, human or materials contaminated with the virus. The virus enters through broken skin, the respiratory tract or other mucous membranes. Animal-to-Human transmission occurs by bite and/or scratch or direct contact with body fluids. Human-to-Human transmission occurs largely through respiratory droplets but can also be transmitted through bodily fluids or lesion material.

Currently there is no proven or safe treatment for monkeypox. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, chills, fatigue. The incubation time is typically 7-14 days but can take up to 21 days. Once the fever occurs, the rash/lesions develop, often starting on the face. The illness can last two to four weeks. In Africa, monkeypox has caused death in one of ten patients.

 

Resources:

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/s0428-avian-flu.html

https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/transmission.html

 

 

About PGM

Physicians Group Management (PGM) is one of the fastest-growing medical billing companies in the United States.  For over 35 years, PGM has been providing medical billing and practice management services and software to physicians, healthcare facilities, and laboratories.  PGM’s current client base encompasses the full spectrum of medical specialties, including Internal Medicine, Dermatology, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Pathology, EMS & Ambulatory Services, Cardiology, Nephrology, Urology, Pain Management, OB/GYN, Gastroenterology, Independent Laboratory, and many more.  PGM’s medical billing and practice management solutions include:                                –