Alaska Pox: Causes, Symptoms, Transmission, Treatment

Context: 

The health officials in Alaska have identified the first known death linked to a virus called Alaska Pox.

What is Alaska Pox?

• Alaska Pox is a rare viral infection caused by an orthopoxvirus first identified in Fairbanks, Alaska in 2015. 
• Impact: Less than 10 cases have been  reported so far, all linked to contact with small mammals like voles and shrews.
• Geographical Spread: It was first discovered in the Fairbanks area of Alaska, but the more recent case occurred in the Kenai Peninsula.

• Alaskapox Symptoms

• • Skin lesions (bumps/pustules) on face, hands, arms
  • Swollen lymph nodes, joint/muscle pain, fever, headache, fatigue
  • Mild in healthy people, can be more severe in immunocompromised.

• Transmission

  • Exact mechanism unknown, likely through bites/scratches of infected small mammals
  • Possibly spread by domestic pets that catch/eat infected rodents
  • No evidence yet of human-to-human transmission, but possible via direct contact with lesions

• Diagnosis & Treatment

  • No specific treatment or vaccine available
  • Supportive care for pain, wound care, preventing secondary infections
• Prevention: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people keep a safe distance from wildlife and wash their hands after being outside. Avoiding contact with wild rodents and their habitats.

News Source: Livemint

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