Monkeypox Can Spread Inside Russia Without Traveling Abroad

Monkeypox is transmitted primarily through close physical contact with an infected person, is accompanied by distinctive skin rashes, and can pose a serious health risk depending on the viral strain. This was explained by allergist-immunologist Vladimir Bolibok in a comment to Pravda.Ru following the confirmation of a new case in Moscow. Earlier, the Telegram channel of the Domodedovo Hospital reported that one of its hospitalized patients had been laboratory-confirmed with a diagnosis of monkeypox.

How Monkeypox Is Transmitted

According to Bolibok, monkeypox is usually transmitted through close physical contact with an infected individual. The main routes of transmission are household contact and sexual contact, with infection occurring only through direct skin-to-skin interaction.

"The virus most often spreads through household or sexual contact, but only during close interaction — skin to skin. What makes this case notable is that the patient did not travel abroad and had been in Moscow for about a month and a half. Given the incubation period of up to three weeks, this suggests domestic transmission within the country,”

the doctor explained. This indicates that monkeypox can circulate locally without being imported from abroad, raising concerns about unnoticed transmission chains.

Symptoms and Course of the Disease

Bolibok noted that the disease typically begins with general symptoms such as fever, weakness, and malaise, followed by the appearance of characteristic skin lesions. This pattern, he said, was observed in the hospitalized patient.

"Monkeypox starts with high fever, general weakness, and malaise. Then blister-like rashes appear on the skin, resembling herpes, which later develop into a typical pox rash. After that, the condition may worsen, the temperature rises again, and fever develops. Treatment in such cases is symptomatic, as there are currently no specific antiviral medications for this infection,”

the specialist said. Doctors focus on managing symptoms, preventing complications, and monitoring patients until recovery.

Different Viral Strains and Risk Levels

The severity of monkeypox largely depends on the viral strain involved. Bolibok explained that there are two main clades of the virus. The first, Clade I (Central African), is associated with a more severe course of illness and a fatality rate of up to 10 percent. The second, Clade II (West African), has a much lower mortality rate — no more than 0.2 percent — but spreads more easily. According to the doctor, it was Clade II that caused the global monkeypox outbreak in 2022-2023. At present, Russia's health authorities have not specified which strain was identified in the Moscow case, and the source of infection remains unknown.

What This Means Going Forward

Experts emphasize that while most cases are mild, identifying the viral strain is crucial for assessing public health risks. The detection of a domestically acquired case highlights the importance of early diagnosis, contact tracing, and public awareness to prevent further spread.