Public Health News

What to Know About Monkeypox and the Potential for an Outbreak in the U.S.

Mary Cunningham — Fri, 20 May 2022 19:35:27 +0000

What to Know About Monkeypox and the Potential for an Outbreak in the U.S. Mary Cunningham Fri, 05/20/2022 - 15:35

In This Story

Updated May 23, 2022

With monkeypox cases on the rise in the United Kingdom and appearing in the U.S., epidemiologist and professor at ��AV Amira Roess discusses monkeypox and the U.S.

The first patient in the United States was recently diagnosed with monkeypox, raising questions and concerns about the rare disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking clusters of monkeypox in countries that rarely report outbreaks, including United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal.

Epidemiologist and professor at ��AV Dr. Amira Roess specializes in infectious diseases, especially reducing the transmission of diseases that originate through animal-human contact, including monkeypox, which she first worked on while serving as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer at the CDC in 2008. She shares the most essential information about monkeypox and is available for further comment.

What is monkeypox?

Monkeypox is a rare disease that is caused by infection with monkeypox virus that causes a person to be ill for 2 to 4 weeks. Monkeypox is a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus. Smallpox is a member of that same genus.

How contagious is monkeypox and how does it spread?

Monkeypox is contagious. It is spread through contact with bodily fluids that contain the virus, which includes respiratory droplets and fluid from monkeypox lesions or sores. Shared items that have been contaminated with fluid or sores can also spread the virus.

The incubation period (time from infection to symptoms) for monkeypox is usually 7−14 days, but can range from 5−21 days. The infected person can spread the virus before symptoms appear.

There is a lot of work being done right now to understand how widespread the current outbreak is and some speculation about the main route of transmission in many of the cases who belong to overlapping social and sexual networks.

What are monkeypox symptoms?

Monkeypox symptoms may appear similar to those of smallpox, a well-known cause of global outbreaks. Smallpox has since been eradicated due to a global vaccination effort that used vaccines to eradicate it. Monkeypox causes less severe disease and is less contagious than smallpox; however, we know a lot less about monkeypox than other viruses.

Initial symptoms usually include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and exhaustion. One to three days after a fever, infected persons often develop a rash and lesions or sores. Symptoms typically last 2-4 weeks.

How can you tell the difference between monkeypox, a cold, and COVID-19?

Monkeypox symptoms typically include swollen lymph nodes, a rash, and lesions or sores that a cold, the flu, nor COVID-19 have.

In the U.S., should we be worried about a monkeypox outbreak?

Most Americans do not currently have to be concerned about monkeypox. Those who have traveled to places that have current monkeypox outbreaks should pay attention to any symptoms that they may develop upon return. The CDC and local health departments are prioritizing investigations of monkeypox and are doing what they can do identify suspected cases and stop transmission.

What should someone do to protect against monkeypox?

People should avoid contact with infected people or animals, as well as material, such as bedding, that has been in contact with any monkeypox-infected person or animal. Continue to practice good hygiene, such as washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Many of the same practices that prevent COVID-19 can prevent the spread of monkeypox. Common household disinfectants can kill the monkeypox virus on surfaces.

How common is monkeypox around the world?

Monkeypox outbreaks have historically occurred in central and west African countries, but is still relatively rare compared to other viruses. There are two strains of monkeypox. Unfortunately, we are seeing an increase in cases and this may be due in part to the increasing encroachment of people into wildlife habitats where monkeypox reservoirs are thought to be.

Outbreaks typically start with a spillover event—a human picks up the virus from an animal reservoir, often a rodent. These events have been increasingly noted in part due to increased contact with wildlife and in part due to urbanization and globalization. Once the spillover event occurs then the infected individual can transmit monkeypox to their contacts. Historically, we didn’t see large monkeypox outbreaks because the infected individuals just didn’t have close contact with many people outside of their household or their local municipality. What we are seeing now, and what we saw with the Ebola outbreak, is that the increase in urbanization and globalization means that it takes days for viruses to emerge and move with their human host from one side of the globe to another. This is why we need to prioritize global surveillance and cooperation.

In 2003, there was an introduction of monkeypox into the U.S. through the importation of wildlife from west Africa. Several Americans became infected, but luckily the more mild form of the virus was introduced in that outbreak, and it seems that the current global outbreak is also caused by the “weaker” strain of the virus.

In theory, the smallpox vaccine can protect individuals against monkeypox. In practice, a very limited number of individuals have received a smallpox vaccine and so more and more of our population is susceptible to Orthopoxviruses such as monkeypox.

How is monkeypox related to smallpox?

Monkeypox is related to smallpox and the two share symptoms. However, smallpox, which is now eradicated, caused more severe disease and is a well-known cause of global outbreaks. Smallpox was eradicated due to a massive global effort led by the World Health Organization that relied on a highly-effective, affordable vaccine shared with the world and a robust quarantine strategy.

Read Dr. Roess' other tip sheets for more information on monkeypox:

Dr. Amira Roess specializes in infectious diseases, especially reducing the transmission of diseases that spread between animals and humans, including coronaviruses like MERS-CoV and SAR-CoV-2, the latter of which causes COVID-19. She worked on monkeypox and other viruses when she served as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at the CDC’s Poxvirus and Rabies Branch.

She is a professor of Global Health and Epidemiology at ��AV's College of Health and Human Services, Department of Global and Community Health. Her expertise includes infectious diseases epidemiology, multi-disciplinary and multi-species field research and evaluating interventions to reduce the transmission and impact of infectious diseases.

Dr. Roess holds a PhD in global disease epidemiology and control from Johns Hopkins University. Her current studies are in the US, Bangladesh, Egypt, and Ethiopia. Prior to joining academia, Dr. Roess served as the Science Director for the Pew Commission on Industrial Food Animal Production at Johns Hopkins, and was an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officer at the CDC. She has served as consultant for the United States Agency for International Development, the World Bank, and Westat Inc. She has a master degree from the UMDNJ/ Rutgers University School of Public Health.

For more information, contact Michelle Thompson at 703-993-3485 or mthomp7@gmu.edu.

About Mason
��AV, Virginia’s largest public research university, enrolls 39,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason has grown rapidly over the last half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility. In 2022, Mason celebrates 50 years as an independent institution. Learn more at http://www.gmu.edu.

About the College of Health and Human Services
The College of Health and Human Services prepares students to become leaders and to shape the public's health through academic excellence, research of consequence, community outreach, and interprofessional clinical practice. The College enrolls more than 1,900 undergraduate and 1,300 graduate students in its nationally-recognized offerings, including 6 undergraduate degrees, 13 graduate degrees, and 6 certificate programs. The college is transitioning to a college of public health in the near future. For more information, visit https://chhs.gmu.edu/.

Topics

GCH Senior Magaly Cabrera-Ortiz Earns Fulbright Scholarship

Mary Cunningham — Tue, 17 May 2022 18:28:42 +0000

GCH Senior Magaly Cabrera-Ortiz Earns Fulbright Scholarship Mary Cunningham Tue, 05/17/2022 - 14:28

Graduating senior embodies how Mason prepares students to be global leaders

The College of Health and Human Services is proud to congratulate Magaly Cabrera-Ortiz on receiving a Fulbright Scholarship to teach English in the Czech Republic. Cabrera-Ortiz graduates in May 2022 with her Bachelor of Science in Global and Community Health.

Each year, a select group of students are chosen from thousands of applicants for this prestigious honor to conduct research, pursue graduate studies, or serve as English Teaching Assistants in one of the 140 countries that partner with the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

“The Fulbright experience is a good use of a gap year while I apply to medical school,” said Cabrera-Ortiz. “As a minority student, I always want to go further and pave the way for other students. It’s going to be a good experience because I’ve never been to Europe.”

What Does It Take to Earn a Fulbright?

For her specific program, Cabrera-Ortiz will be working as an English Teaching Assistant (ETA) at Nursing School Jindrichuv Hradec in the Czech Republic. In addition to exceptional academic performance, Fulbright Scholars are students who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and a desire to use this experience for the betterment of their communities.

A natural leader, she plans to draw upon her experience as the president of Patriots for Health Assistance, a health care volunteer, and a program organizer of the Honors College Recruitment Team; working at the Athletic and Fitness Center; and being an AVID Tutor and an assistant cross-country coach at a local high school.

“I enjoy working with high schoolers because I remember being in their shoes,” Cabrera-Ortiz said. “Being the individual that can remind students of their potential and be a cheerleader in that regard, supporting their growth.” She plans to use this experience while working with nursing students in the Czech Republic.

Cabrera-Ortiz encourages her peers to take risks and reach outside their comfort zone, “When you come across an opportunity, apply for it, and do not automatically eliminate yourself from the opportunity without even having strived for it.”

Combining Clinical and Community Health

Mason’s Bachelor of Science in Global and Community Health prepares students with the knowledge and understanding of community and public health systems, issues and policies related to health promotion, and health education and disease prevention in populations of all sizes.

After serving in the Czech Republic, Cabrera-Ortiz plans to go to medical school and become an orthopedic surgeon. In addition to becoming a physician, Cabrera-Ortiz has a desire to serve her community, and her GCH degree will help her succeed.

“Being a doctor is more than giving a prescription,” she said. Growing up in the Hispanic culture, Cabrera-Ortiz wants to be a role model for the youth in her hometown and work to lessen the health disparities among low socio-economic minorities. “With my childhood experiences, my mission is to use my voice as a provider and advocate for our communities and treat each person as an individual.”

On behalf of the Mason Nation, congratulations to Cabrera-Ortiz on winning the Fulbright and we wish her the best of luck in all future endeavors.

Topics

CHHS

CHHS News

CHHS Students in Action

AI Can Predict Probability of COVID-19 vs. Flu Based on Symptoms

Mary Cunningham — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 18:31:11 +0000

AI Can Predict Probability of COVID-19 vs. Flu Based on Symptoms Mary Cunningham Tue, 04/12/2022 - 14:31

A new study from the College of Health and Human Services’ researchers highlights how clinicians can use artificial intelligence and seasonality to screen patients and identify the probability of COVID-19 prior to testing.

Testing shortages, long waits for results, and an over-taxed health care system have made headlines throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. These issues can be further exacerbated in small or rural communities in the US and globally. Additionally, respiratory symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever and cough are also associated with the flu, which complicates non-lab diagnoses during certain seasons. A new study by College of Health and Human Services researchers is designed to help identify which symptoms are more likely to indicate COVID during flu season. This is the first study to take seasonality into account.

Farrokh Alemi, principal investigator and professor of Health Administration and Policy, and other Mason researchers predict the probability that a patient has COVID-19, flu, or another respiratory illness prior to testing, depending on the season. This can help clinicians triage patients who are most suspected of having COVID-19.

“When access to reliable COVID testing is limited or test results are delayed, clinicians, especially those who are community-based, are more likely to rely on signs and symptoms than on laboratory findings to diagnose COVID-19,” said Alemi, who observed these challenges at points throughout the pandemic. “Our algorithm can help health care providers triage patient care while they are waiting on lab testing or help prioritize testing if there are testing shortages.”

The findings suggest that community-based health care providers should follow different signs and symptoms for diagnosing COVID depending on the time of year. Outside of flu season, fever is an even stronger predictor of COVID than during flu season. During flu season, a person with a cough is more likely to have the flu than COVID. The study showed that assuming anyone with a fever during flu season has COVID would be incorrect. The algorithm relied on different symptoms for patients in different age and gender. The study also showed that symptom clusters are more important in diagnosis of COVID-19 than symptoms alone.

The algorithms were created by analyzing the symptoms reported by 774 COVID patients in China and 273 COVID patients in the United States. The analysis also included 2,885 influenza and 884 influenza-like illnesses in US patients. “Modeling the Probability of COVID-19 Based on Symptom Screening and Prevalence of Influenza and Influenza-Like Illnesses” was published in Quality Management in Health Care’s April/June 2022 issue. The rest of the research team is also from Mason: Professor of Global Health and Epidemiology Health Amira Roess, Affiliate Faculty Jee Vang, and doctoral candidate Elina Guralnik.

“Though helpful, the algorithms are too complex to expect clinicians to perform these calculations while providing care. The next step is to create an AI, web-based, calculator that can be used in the field. This would allow clinicians to arrive at a presumed diagnosis prior to the visit,” said Alemi. From there, clinicians can make triage decisions on how to care for the patient while waiting for official lab results.

The study does not include any COVID-19 patients without respiratory symptoms, which includes asymptomatic people. Additionally, the study did not differentiate between the first and second week of onset of symptoms, which can vary.

This research was a prototype of how existing data can be used to find signature symptoms of a new disease. The methodology may have relevance beyond this pandemic.

“When there is a new outbreak, collecting data is time consuming. Rapid analysis of existing data can reduce the time to differentiate presentation of new diseases from illnesses with overlapping symptoms. The method in this paper is useful for rapid response to the next pandemic,” said Alemi.

Topics

CHHS

CHHS News

coronavirus; covid-19

Tech Talent Investment Program

New Approach Better Predicts Air Pollution Models’ Performance in Health Studies

Mary Cunningham — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 14:25:18 +0000

New Approach Better Predicts Air Pollution Models’ Performance in Health Studies Mary Cunningham Tue, 04/05/2022 - 10:25

Nine out of 10 people in the world breathe air that exceeds the World Health Organization’s guidelines for air pollution. The era of big data and machine learning has facilitated predicting air pollution concentrations across both space and time. With approximately seven million people dying each year as a result of air pollution, leveraging these novel air pollution prediction models for studies of health is important. However, it is not always known whether these air pollution prediction models can be used in health studies.

A new study from Jenna Krall, assistant professor of the Department of Global and Community Health, develops a new approach to aid air quality modelers in determining whether their air pollution prediction models can be used in epidemiologic studies, studies that assess health effects.

“Understanding the relationship between air pollution and health often requires predicting air pollution concentrations. Our approach will be useful for determining whether an air pollution prediction model can be used in subsequent health studies. As a result, our work can help translate new prediction models to better understand air pollution health impacts,” said Krall.

Existing air pollution prediction models are generally evaluated on how well they can predict air pollution levels. Using data from 17 locations in the US, Krall found that the new evaluation approach was able to better identify errors in air pollution prediction models most relevant for health studies.

“Assessing the health estimation capacity of air pollution exposure prediction models” was published in Environmental Health in March 2022.

Joshua P. Keller of Colorado State University and Roger D. Peng of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health were a part of the research team. Krall was supported in part by the Thomas F. and Kate Miller Jeffress Memorial Trust, Bank of America, Trustee. Peng was supported in part by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through award RD835871. This work has not been formally reviewed by the EPA. The views expressed in this document are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the agency. EPA does not endorse any products or commercial services mentioned in this publication.

Topics

CHHS News

CHHS Research

Public Health

public health faculty

Public Health News

Air Pollution

Public Health News

What to Know About Monkeypox and the Potential for an Outbreak in the U.S.

In This Story

Updated May 23, 2022

With monkeypox cases on the rise in the United Kingdom and appearing in the U.S., epidemiologist and professor at ����AV Amira Roess discusses monkeypox and the U.S.

Topics

GCH Senior Magaly Cabrera-Ortiz Earns Fulbright Scholarship

Graduating senior embodies how Mason prepares students to be global leaders

Topics

AI Can Predict Probability of COVID-19 vs. Flu Based on Symptoms

A new study from the College of Health and Human Services’ researchers highlights how clinicians can use artificial intelligence and seasonality to screen patients and identify the probability of COVID-19 prior to testing.

Topics

New Approach Better Predicts Air Pollution Models’ Performance in Health Studies

Topics

With monkeypox cases on the rise in the United Kingdom and appearing in the U.S., epidemiologist and professor at ��AV Amira Roess discusses monkeypox and the U.S.