For now, monkeypox is of no particular concern: it appears to have poor transmissibility and a mild course.
But the doubts remain many. Even the coronavirus, initially, did not create alarm. He invited himself to be cautious, but little more. Then, unfortunately, we all know how it went. The virus continues to circulate. And the frail continue to die.
We asked for an opinion from the Head of Infectious Diseases of Santa Croce and Carle di Cuneo, Dr. Valerio Del Bono. “For now we know that it is less transmissible than human smallpox, which is extinct but still seems to be preserved in some laboratory, and the Coronavirus. But there is a disturbing aspect: the leap of species, exactly what happened with the Coronavirus. We had cases of ape-to-human transmission, perhaps for a bite. Now we have human-to-human transmission. This aspect is worrying and opens up scenarios that are still difficult to interpret or predict “explains.
There are currently around 100 cases in Europe. You are in Italy. “As an infectious disease specialist – conclude – I’m obviously worried. The disease is already among us. I repeat, the elements that have emerged at the moment seem not very alarming, both on transmissibility and on the course, but this leap in species and the many mutations already recorded cannot but impose caution and maximum attention on us “.