What is Alaskapox? Details explored as first man dies of the disease

Alaskapox, a recently discovered virus, took the life of an elderly man in Alaska's remote Kenai Peninsula in January 2024, according to a bulletin shared by Alaska state public health officials. The Alaska Department of Health and Division of Public Health reported that the deceased man was the first person to contract the illness who did not reside in Fairbanks.

Alaskapox is an orthopoxvirus that belongs to the same genus as cowpox, monkeypox, and smallpox. It was first discovered in a patient living near Fairbanks, Alaska in 2015. Since then, there have only been six documented cases of the same, as per the Alaska Department of Health.

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What to know about Alaskapox after officials confirm first death from the virus

An unnamed man in Alaska was the first to die of the disease last month. The recent virus was detected in six people since its discovery in a patient in Fairbanks in 2015. Five of these individuals were from the Fairbanks North Star Borough and one lived in the Kenai Peninsula Borough, according to the Alaska Department of Health.

As per the Alaska Department of Health, the virus is primarily found in small mammals. According to Forbes, the virus, also known as AKPV, is not as severe as other human pathogens. It has historically caused mild illnesses that have resolved themselves with symptoms including skin lesions, swollen lymph nodes, and joint or muscle pain. However, the virus is more likely contracted by people with compromised immune systems.

Dr. Joe McLaughlin, state epidemiologist and chief of the Alaska Division of Public Health Section of Epidemiology, shared a statement with People and said:

"Alaskapox remains rare. For the vast majority of people who may come in contact with this virus, the clinical course will likely be mild."

John Brownstein, the chief innovation officer at Boston Children's Hospital spoke about the deceased man and told ABC News:

"Given the rarity of Alaskapox and its generally mild course in healthy individuals, the risk to the general public remains low. The most recent [fatal] case was in an elderly man that was immunocompromised, so his immune system was already not going to be able to handle infection."

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The man visited the emergency room for a lesion before he died weeks later

The unidentified individual reportedly visited his doctor and local emergency room for a lesion and was prescribed antibiotic drugs, according to the state's bulletin issued on Friday. The patient's situation eventually deteriorated and he had to be hospitalized. Doctors then sent his tests to the CDC, according to state health officials and the organization soon identified the viral infection as Alaskapox. The man succumbed to the virus a few weeks later, as per Forbes.

It currently remains unclear how the deceased resident of the remote Kenai Peninsula was infected with the virus. According to the Alaska Department of Health and Division of Public Health, the individual lived alone in a forested area and reported caring for a stray cat. The animal was also tested but was found negative for the virus, as per ABC News.

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There have been no documented cases of human-to-human transmission of AKVP as of this writing.