What is Alaskapox?

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About Alaskapox

It is an orthopox virus that was first discovered in Alaska, USA, in 2015.
It is a double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the same genus (Orthopoxvirus) as smallpox, monkeypox, and cowpox.
Orthopoxviruses are zoonotic viruses that can infect various mammals, including humans.
Current evidence indicates that the Alaskapox virus primarily occurs in small mammals. The virus has been most commonly identified in red-backed voles and shrews.
Signs and Symptoms:
- Symptoms of Alaskapox have included one or more skin lesions (bumps or pustules) and other symptoms like swollen lymph nodes and joint and/or muscle pain.
- Nearly all patients had mild illnesses that resolved on their own after a few weeks.
- Immunocompromised people might be at increased risk for more severe illness.
Can people with Alaskapox infect other people?
- While human-to-human transmission of Alaskapox has not yet been observed, some orthopoxviruses can spread by direct contact with lesions (particularly broken skin contact with lesion secretions).

Q1) What is a Virus?

A virus is an infectious microbe consisting of a segment of nucleic acid (either DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protein coat. A virus cannot replicate alone; instead, it must infect cells and use components of the host cell to make copies of itself. Often, a virus ends up killing the host cell in the process, causing damage to the host organism. Well-known examples of viruses causing human disease include AIDS, COVID-19, measles and smallpox.