¡Viral Challenge! How much do health students really know about the novel disease Monkeypox? A Study in a Developing Country, Lima-Perú

Abstract

Introduction. Monkeypox (Mpox), caused by the MPV virus, is a zoonotic disease endemic in Africa, with a first case in humans in 1970. Since 2022, cases have been reported in non-endemic countries, leading to the declaration of a public health emergency. Objective. To assess the level of knowledge about Monkeypox in students of the Human Medicine program at Ricardo Palma University, focusing on the pathogenic cause, epidemiological measures, clinical manifestations, management and prevention of the disease. Material and Methods. The research was based on an observational descriptive and cross-sectional study, in which knowledge about monkeypox was analyzed. For this purpose, a 15-question questionnaire validated by the Clinical Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Medicine Research Center of the Faculty of Human Medicine of the San Martín Porres University (Lima-Perú) was used. Results. A total of 151 health students were surveyed, showing that 92.7% knew about the forms of contagion, but only 49.7% understood the incubation time. Although age did not significantly influence, younger students (20 - 23 years) showed similar levels of knowledge to the other age groups. Conclusion. The study showed that students have adequate knowledge about monkeypox, especially in basic aspects. However, there are common deficiencies in knowledge of emerging diseases.