Medscetera

Every year with the onset of the Monsoon from July to September comes a surge in all sorts of illnesses, predominantly viral diseases, Upper respiratory tract infections, Gastrointestinal diseases, water-borne diseases, skin diseases, and so on.  There is an epidemic of viral diseases like Dengue fever and Chikungunya. These are mosquito-borne diseases and are spread due to the increase in mosquitoes in monsoons due to flooding and water-logging.  In addition, stagnant water, and high moisture content in homes can lead to mold growth, contaminating the air with mold spores. This can worsen respiratory conditions like asthma and bronchitis and also cause upper respiratory tract infections. High humidity can increase the growth of fungus and worsen skin conditions such as athlete's foot and other fungal infections. High humidity can increase sebum production which clogs pores and worsens acne. Monsoons cause contamination of water and this leads to water-borne diseases like chol...

Mpox, earlier known as monkeypox (because it was originally discovered in monkeys kept for research in 1958, Denmark) is caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV). It is a DNA virus that belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus, Poxviridae family (also includes - variola virus: cause of Smallpox, vaccinia virus, and cowpox virus). The initial symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, body pain, and swollen lymph nodes, followed by a rash of lesions on the skin. The incubation period for Mpox is 7-14 days i.e. symptoms begin to appear 7-14 days after exposure. Transmission occurs through contact with an infected person. This includes direct contact with body fluids, and lesions, prolonged face-to-face contact including sexual contact, and indirect contact with contaminated clothing and bedding. Transmission can also occur through infected animals, i.e. hunting, cooking, handling, etc.  People with compromised immune systems are at higher risk for contracting Mpox. Treatment for Mpox includes ...