Health officials are reconsidering the risks of the rare “Alaskapox” virus after it contributed to the death of an elderly Alaskan man in late 2022.
First identified near Fairbanks in 2015, the previously mild virus has mainly affected those handling small, infected mammals.
After this recent fatality, the obscure virus has attracted attention for its potential to harm immunosuppressed people.
Alaskapox belongs to the orthopoxvirus family including smallpox, horsepox, camelpox, and monkeypox — viruses characterized by skin lesions.
Since the illness was discovered nine years ago, only seven Alaskapox cases have been reported, all in Alaska. The virus came with symptoms like skin bumps, swollen lymph nodes and joint pain. Most patients recovered within a few weeks without treatment.
However, the latest victim — a Kenai Peninsula cancer patient in his 70s — experienced worse outcomes. Having undergone chemotherapy, the man developed a sore under his right arm in September that worsened despite medical care.
Living remotely near woods, the man was repeatedly scratched by a stray cat that hunted small prey.
Official still describe the illness as rare and mild, and they’ve advised Alaskans to avoid infection by exercising common sense.
That is, officials urged Alaskans to keep a safe distance from wildlife, wash their hands after going outdoors, and avoid keeping wildlife as pets.
Prior individual cases caused limited symptoms without significant spreading.
However, recent tragedy has transformed perceptions of the previously obscure Alaskapox. Authorities are weighing whether to launch a public awareness effort to encourage precautions amid at-risk groups.
For cancer patients and others with weakened immune function, previously innocuous animal encounters may pose heightened hazards.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.