Systemic and Dermatologic Impact of Mpox: An Overview of Guideline-Based Management for Nigerian Healthcare Workers

Abstract

Monkeypox/Mpox is an Orthopoxvirus infection of the skin and mucous membranes in the same family as smallpox virus. Infection mainly affects the skin, but the eyes, lungs, brain, gastrointestinal tract, and other organs may also be involved to varying degrees. This narrative review on the systematic and dermatologic impact of Mpox is meant for healthcare workers, providers of social services, community leaders, religious leaders, staff of schools, influencers, and institutions. This is in a bid to bring them up to date with the clinical protocol involved in the diagnosis, management, and prevention of the spread of Mpox. Data and other pieces of information used in this review were accessed from PubMed, Google Scholar, and situation reports from the website of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The search date was from 1980 to May 2022. Prompt recognition and diagnosis were found to be predicated on a high index of clinical suspicion while diagnosis can be confirmed through viral DNA polymerase chain reaction tests. The management of Mpox involves a multidisciplinary approach with Dermatologists playing a central role alongside other specialists and experts as it affects diagnosis, management, and follow-up. The Government should provide an enabling environment for surveillance, notification, and research of this global infection. Since the clinical presentation of Mpox is regularly changing, a regular review of the available guidelines is recommended.