Nurse left with monkeypox lesions over face and hands after catching bug through gloves | The Sun
A NURSE who treated a patient with monkeypox has been left with lesions on her hands and face despite wearing protective clothing.
Researchers in the US described an usual case of transmission via a needle.
The incident was reported in Brazil on July 9, during a time where hundreds of monkeypox cases had been reported across the globe.
A 20-year-old female nurse had treated a 20-year-old patient who had contracted monkeypox.
He had caught the bug two weeks before the incident and had been experiencing symptoms such as pain in the throat and skin lesions on the face, groin and torso.
The nurse had been collecting discardable materials and had been wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).
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It was then that a needle perforated her glove and broke the skin.
Medics said that this incident gives 'sneak peak' into the progression of the bug.
The nurse was initially taken to hospital, but was released before her lesions had cleared up.
Her first symptoms included pain and inflammation at the site of injury – which then developed into lesions.
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Doctors reported that the nurse had seven lesions in total, three on her face, one on her thumb, one on her right hand palm, one on her left hand and one on the left thigh.
Medics writing in the Emerging Infections Diseases Journal said the unusual transmission through the needle could be likened to that of transmission from a bite or scratch of an animal.
They added that the case points out that there is a high risk from instruments such as needles.
At present, smallpox vaccines are unavailable in Brazil.
The new study comes after it was revealed that the bug could cause long-term neurological problems.
Analysis found the virus could cause serious brain damage which can lead to paralysis and even death.
The 11 signs of monkeypox you need to know
Experts at the UK Health Security Agency have said all Brits should be on the look out for key signs and symptoms.
The signs may include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Backache
- Chills
- Exhaustion
- Night sweats
- Cold-like symptoms, such as congestion and runny nose
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Swollen groin
- Rashes and lesions
Medics said that complications of the illness were documented as:
- low mood
- severe pain
- conjunctivitis
There are now at least 3,413 known cases of the bug in the UK.
However, medics in the US have warned that those who catch the virus are still at risk of viral encephalitis – a condition which causes inflammation of the brain.
In the review of possible neurological complications of monkeypox, experts noted those who catch the bug are also at risk of a serious inflammatory disorder called myelitis.
Myelitis can lead to permanent physical disabilities, such as muscle stiffness, loss of bowel or bladder function, muscle weakness, or even paralysis.
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There have been no reports of people with monkeypox developing the neurological condition – as of yet.
However, expert said that based off known neurologic complications of other similar viruses, like smallpox, we "must be prepared for the possibility".
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