What is Alaskapox? Everything you need to know after an elderly man becomes the first to die from a little-known virus

An elderly man has become the first ever recorded patient to die from Alaskapox, the little-known cousin of smallpox.

Only seven cases of the infection have been reported since 2015, when it was first observed by scientists in Fairbanks. Alaska.

The newly recorded victim from the Kenai Peninsula, in the state’s south, was receiving hospital treatment when he died in late January, officials confirmed.

But what is Alaskapox? And can it spread between people? Here, MailOnline describes everything you need to know about the virus.

Health officials recommend covering any skin lesions that develop and not touching the painful area. The immunocompromised man first noticed a red bump in his armpit in September 2023 and was prescribed antibiotics after visiting the emergency room

Is Alaskapox Similar to Smallpox?

Alaskapox, known as AKPV, belongs to the orthopoxvirus family.

Other members include cowpox, monkeypox and smallpox, one of the deadliest diseases before it was eradicated.

The virus is believed to spread from small rodents such as voles and shrews to humans.

The Alaska Department of Health also warned that pets such as cats and dogs “may also play a role in the spread of the virus.”

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of Alaska pox include skin lesions, swollen lymph nodes, and joint and muscle pain – similar to the problems caused by monkeypox.

Many of the seven known cases initially thought they had suffered a spider or insect bite.

Health officials in Alaska recommend covering any skin lesions that develop and not touching the painful area.

The unidentified man who died first noticed a red bump in his armpit in September 2023 and was prescribed antibiotics after an emergency room visit.

But when his symptoms worsened and he experienced fatigue and pain in his armpit and shoulder, he was admitted to hospital in November.

Doctors noted that he had “four smaller pox-like lesions” in different parts of his body.

However, he suffered further complications, resulting in kidney failure and ultimately his death in late January.

Does it spread between people?

Scientists are not yet sure how the Alaska pox virus spreads, but say there is evidence it is zoonotic: a disease that jumps from animals to humans.

Human-to-human transmission of AKVP has not yet been documented.

But other viruses from the same family, including smallpox and monkeypox, have been shown to pass through direct contact with infected people.

The unidentified man lived alone in a remote part of the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, and is believed to have become infected after being scratched by a stray cat, according to officials.

“It is likely that the virus is more widespread in Alaska’s small mammals and that more infections in humans have occurred but have not been identified,” she added.

Small mammal sampling in 2020 and 2021 in Alaska’s Fairbanks North Star Borough — where all six other virus cases occurred — found traces of Alaskapox virus in voles and red-backed shrews.

How deadly is it?

This is the first ever reported case of Alaskapox infection resulting in hospitalization and death.

However, officials noted that the man had a weakened immune system and was undergoing treatment for cancer, putting him at greater risk for serious illness.

Medics suggested this may have contributed to the severity of his illness and eventual death.

The other six patients had mild illnesses that resolved on their own after a few weeks.

The double-stranded DNA virus is thought to spread from small rodents such as voles and shrews to humans. The Alaska Department of Health also warned that pets such as cats and dogs ‘may also play a role in the spread of the virus’

Small mammal sampling in 2020 and 2021 in Alaska’s Fairbanks North Star Borough – where all six other virus cases occurred – found traces of Alaskapox virus in voles and red-backed shrews

What should patients do to prevent its spread?

State health officials advised those who develop lesions not to touch them and to keep them dry and covered with bandages.

Practicing good hand hygiene and avoiding sharing clothes and linens with others were two other key recommendations.

People who regularly come into contact with wildlife may also need to take extra precautions, officials said.

Is it limited to Alaska?

No cases have ever been reported outside Alaska, suggesting it is limited to the state.

But this fatal case is the first reported on the Kenai Peninsula, south of the state, indicating it has spread further within Alaska.

Mammals are also not adhering to border restrictions, suggesting they could be spreading into Canada.

Because the man lived alone in a wooded area and reported no recent travel or close contacts with similar illnesses or travel, this also indicates the virus is more widespread among animals than previously thought, scientists added.

“More animal testing is taking place to better understand the spread of the virus in animal populations across Alaska.”