Authors: Syed Tahir Hussain , Hina Ahmed , Rehan Hassan Butt , Shazil Iman , Muhammad Ali Hussain , Muhammad Awais

Abstract

Background and Objective: The world has already seen a massive pandemic of COVID-19. Medical professionals are the first line of defense in this pandemic. In this regard knowing about the spread of Monkeypox and then its preventive measure could save us from another pandemic. This study was therefore designed to determine the knowledge and awareness of medical students regarding the spread and prevention of monkeypox viral disease.

Methods: It was a cross-sectional study comprising of 406 medical students from first to final year MBBS of a private medical college in Lahore were enrolled through convenient sampling. The data were collected through a structured and validated questionnaire designed through Google Forms and administered by the researchers through WhatsApp groups. The data regarding the mode of spread and prevention was analyzed statistically with a p-value < 0.05 as significant.

Results: A total of 406 responses were collected. The mean age of the participants was 22 ± 2 SD years. Regarding modes of spread of monkeypox, the medical students had significant knowledge about different routes; 359 (88.4%) respondents were aware of human-to[1]human transmission through respiratory secretions and vertical transmission (p < 0.001), while 298 (73.4%) respondents also regarded fomites as one of the modes (p < 0.001).Regarding the prevention of spread, 359 (88.4%) respondents picked each of the options of wearing masks, smallpox vaccination, and prior infection with chickenpox or smallpox while 329 (81%) and 309 (76.1%) respondents regarded the use of antivirals and isolation of affected person respectively as protective against Monkeypox (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The knowledge of medical students regarding the spread and prevention of monkeypox seems satisfactory. This can be attributed to the inclusion of the disease in their curriculum and its status as an emerging global outbreak, with extensive information readily available through social media platforms.

Keywords: Monkeypox virus, spread, prevention, medical students, knowledge, awareness.