Amid fears that Monkeypox virus could take up permanent residence in wildlife outside of Africa, forming a reservoir that could lead to repeated human outbreaks, the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has asked the zoos across the States to take adequate precautionary measures to keep the infectious zoonotic disease at a bay.
While India has reported ten cases of Monkeypox in humans so far, more than 50,000 such incidents have been recorded in the global outbreak.
Pointing out that people can get infected with the virus through direct contact with infected animals, often while hunting, trapping, and processing infected animals or the infected body parts and fluids of animals, the CZA in its circular issued to the States also warned that small mammals can carry the Orthopoxvirus virus causing Monkeypox, sometimes without apparent symptoms, while non-human primates can get sick with the disease and have signs of disease like humans.
In its circular issued to all the States, a few days ago, the statutory body of the Union Environment Ministry set up to supervise functioning of the zoos in the country, reminded the concerned officials that “Monkeypox virus can infect a wide range of mammal species, including monkeys, anteaters, hedgehogs, prairie dogs, squirrels, shrews and dogs.
Not all animals may have a rash when they have monkeypox. Infected animals can spread Monkeypox virus to people, and it is possible that people who are infected can spread the virus to animals through close contact.”
The CZA has also asked the zoo authorities to be extra cautious as “Monkeypox virus can be found in the rash caused by monkeypox (scabs, crusts, fluids) and infected bodily fluids, including respiratory secretions, and potentially in urine and feces.”
The circular gives details about the clinical signs like presence of visible skin lesions while species known as possible “reservoirs” will likely not present any clinical signs of infection. Animal health professionals should keep a watch on animal species showing increase in body temperature, appetite changes, conjunctivitis and/or ocular discharge, coughing or sneezing and abnormal sounds during auscultation of the lungs, as per the circular.
The circular also dwells in details about the precautionary steps to be taken in case of detection of Monkeypox case, if any.
The Monkeypox outbreak was reported in 2003 when all 35 confirmed cases in humans were caused by direct contact with the infected prairie dogs. This time, the infection is said to be through human to human contact as well.
In fact, way back in 1964 there was an outbreak of Monkeypox at Rotterdam Zoo, where two Central/South American giant anteaters were first identified with the disease. Until then, Monkeypox was thought to occur only in primates.
Housed in one large enclosure, the Monkeypox virus subsequently spread to several orangutans, chimpanzees, gorillas, guenons, squirrel monkeys, macaques, marmosets and gibbons, as per various reports.