Monkeypox cases identified in at least 5 countries

An extremely rare disease called monkeypox, a cousin of smallpox, has made its way.

Monkeypox is mostly found in West and Central Africa, but additional cases have been seen in Europe, including the United Kingdom, and other parts of the world in recent years. Those cases are typically linked to international travel or imported animals infected with the pox.

Transmission between people occurs primarily through large respiratory droplets, and because such droplets typically travel only a few feet, "prolonged face-to-face contact is required," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. Thus close contact with an infected individual is required for the spread of the monkeypox virus.

Infection can develop after exposure to "broken skin, mucous membranes, respiratory droplets, infected body fluids or even contact with contaminated linen," Neil Mabbott, personal chair in immunopathology at the veterinary school of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, said.

There is an incubation period of some seven to 14 days. Initial symptoms are typically flu-like, such as fever, chills, exhaustion, headache and muscle weakness, followed by swelling in the lymph nodes, which help the body fight infection and disease.

A feature that distinguishes infection with monkeypox from that of smallpox is the development of swollen lymph nodes.

Next comes a widespread rash on the face and body, including inside the mouth and on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.

The painful, raised poxes are pearly and fluid-filled, often surrounded by red circles. The lesions finally scab over and resolve over a period of two to three weeks.

"Treatment is generally supportive as there are no specific drugs available. However, a vaccine is available that can be given to prevent the development of disease," Jimmy Whitworth, professor of international public health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said.

"When the lesions have healed, the scabs (which might carry infectious virus) can be shed as dust, which could be inhaled," said Dr. Michael Skinner, who is on the faculty of medicine in the department of infectious disease at Imperial College London.

"Monkeypox can be a serious infection, with mortality rates from this type of monkeypox virus having been around 1% in other outbreaks. These are often in lower-income settings with limited access to health care," said Michael Head, senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton in the UK.

However, in the developed world, "it would be very unusual to see anything more than a handful of cases in any outbreak, and we won't be seeing (Covid)-style levels of transmission," Head said.

Common household disinfectants can kill the monkeypox virus, according to the CDC.

Drinking Coffee Linked With Higher Cholesterol

 

Drinking espresso coffee is associated with increased blood cholesterol levels, a new study suggests.

Drinking 3 to 5 cups of espresso each day was significantly linked to increased total cholesterol levels for men and women, compared to those who did not drink espresso. 

Other findings showed similar increases in total cholesterol for both sexes from boiled or plunger coffee. Drinking 6 or more cups of plunger/boiled coffee each day was linked with greater serum total cholesterol for men and women, compared with people who did not drink any coffee prepared this way. 

"There have been several studies that showed an association with unfiltered coffee and increases in total cholesterol," says Nieca Goldberg, a cardiologist at NYU Langone Health. "The chemicals that mediate this increase are dipterenes, cafestol and kahweol.” 

Meanwhile, drinking filtered coffee was linked to increased total cholesterol only for women. For women, drinking 6 or more cups of filtered coffee each day was linked with total cholesterol levels, but this increase was not found among men.

David Kao, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, suggests using fewer high-fat dairy products in coffee: "For example, changing to plant-based substitutes might be helpful if whitening coffee is a habit." 

The researchers also found that drinking instant coffee was associated with higher cholesterol than not drinking instant coffee for both men and women.

Guide to Managing Workplace Anxiety

If your anxiety revolves around work, you might be experiencing workplace anxiety, also known as work stress.  

There are a few key signs of workplace anxiety: 

• On your days off, you feel pretty good and your anxiety lowers. Also, you feel better at night but worse in the morning.
• If you work Monday through Friday, feelings of anxiety and dread overshadow your weekend, especially when you think about work. And you notice your motivation shrinking.
• You have a tough time talking with colleagues due to a competitive work culture, but you have no problem chatting with people outside of work.

Workplace anxiety can involve physical symptoms, too. These might include: 

• head and neck pain
• tension in your body
• sweating palms
• consistent stomach pain or nausea 

Work stress may stem from: 

• needing to complete an urgent project or present at a meeting
• imposter syndrome, or a tendency to doubt yourself and feel deeply unqualified
• not having strong connections with colleagues or the company lacking enough staff
• dealing with a difficult boss
• lacking a sense of purpose around your work
• having a toxic or highly competitive workplace culture

But with a few small steps, you can successfully overcome or manage your work stress: 

Pinpoint your triggers

Identifying specific situations that increase your stress levels can help you figure out the best strategy to handle them going forward. 

Zero in on your core fear

Try asking yourself questions about those “what-ifs” until you have uncovered your core fear. From there, you can gently challenge the fear by asking yourself such as 

• What is actually most likely to happen?
• If the worst-case scenario happens, how would I cope?

Take micro-breaks

You can recalibrate your emotions by taking small, short breaks throughout the day,

When anxiety pulls your mind elsewhere, you can also try the 54321 technique to ground yourself in the present moment. The technique is to name:

• 5 things you see
• 4 things you hear
• 3 things you feel
• 2 things you smell
• 1 thing you taste

Get moving

During and after exercise, the body releases calming neurotransmitters that create an overall feeling of well-being. 

Get organized

When big projects and presentations produce anxiety, getting organized can help reduce feelings of overwhelm. For example, 

• breaking down large tasks into smaller steps
• assigning each step a completion date and time

In other words, try to use your anxiety to propel you to accomplish tasks instead of putting them off. 

Set boundaries such as setting a specific time to start and end your workday

Engaging in one or two activities each week that honor your physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

Laugh it up

Finding something to laugh about can release tension, shift your perspective and stimulate positive neurotransmitters. Humor can even help you take yourself, not to mention your workplace, less seriously. 

Create a safe, soothing space

If you have a workspace, you can create a mini sanctuary or retreat that offers solace during stressful or anxiety-provoking situations. 

Boost your time away from work

Strive to create a life filled with relationships, events and activities outside of work that bring you joy, peace and happiness,

And lastly, seeking professional support/advice can be helpful.