Man is first-ever victim of 'Alaskapox' disease as he succumbs to rare illness

11 February 2024 , 23:36

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A man who died from a mysterious illness could have contracted the virus from a cat, officials have said (Image: Alaska Department of Health)

The first victim of a mystery illness that was discovered nearly a decade ago has been discovered - and it's still unclear how he contracted the killer virus.

A man who was found in woodlands on the Kenai peninsula near Alaska lost his life after contracting "Alaskapox". He was living alone close by to Alaska's largest city and remains unidentified. It has also been revealed he was immunocompromised.

The virus is believed to have originated 10 years ago and was first discovered in 2015. Health officials still aren't clear how the man contracted the fatal virus.

Alaskapox - from the same genus as smallpox and monkeypox - was first discovered in Fairbanks and is more common in small mammals. This man's case is only the seventh human one since it originated and is the first outside the Fairbanks area. It is the first case which has lead to someone's death.

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The mystery virus was alter found to be something known as Alaskapox - only seven people are known to have had it (Alaska Department of Health)

According to the Alaska Department of Health, the man noticed a red bump in his right armpit which became tender, the US Express reports. He was then prescribed antibiotics, but reported experiencing fatigue and pain in his armpit and shoulder. In November he was finally taken to hospital on the 17th. After transferring to a hospital in Anchorage, he complained of "neuropathic-type burning pain."

The Centers for Disease Control conducted additional testing which revealed the man's condition was Alaskapox and that he was only one of seven people that is known to have had it. Sadly, later than month he died from malnutrition, and kidney and respiratory failure late last month.

The unidentified man was found near Alaska's biggest city (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

It is thought the man may have contracted the virus from a stray cat which he had been looking after at his home. The feline was known to be active outdoors and hunt smaller animals. It was tested for Alaskapox, and returned a negative result, but it is still possible they carried the virus in its claws.

Health authorities say the man reported being scratched by the cat in his armpit about a month before the rash began. The case is significant because most other Alaskapox infections have been mild.

The man more susceptible to the virus because he is immunocompromised due to drugs from his cancer treatment, officials revealed. State epidemiologist Julia Rogers said: "People should not necessarily be concerned but more aware. So we’re hoping to make clinicians more aware of what Alaskapox virus is, so that they can identify signs and symptoms."

Sean McPolin