What is the best way to combat the global spread of monkeypox viral infection?
This was emphasized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the agency continues to receive updates on the status of ongoing smallpox outbreaks and recently reported cases.
On Saturday (June 10th), the WHO published a “provisional rapid response” guide for the clinical management and prevention and control of monkeypox infections for health care and community settings.
Early warning system
The Geneva-based WHO has also set up a surveillance network, which serves as an early warning system to detect disease outbreaks quickly before they spread, cost lives and are difficult to control, assess the disease. impact of an intervention and monitor progress.
Regarding the smallpox of the monkey, the WHO said that the disease “is generally self-limiting”, but noted that it can be “serious in some individuals, such as children, pregnant women or people with immune suppression due to other health conditions “.
2,821 cases
In its latest update, the WHO stated that it had received reports of a total of 2,821 confirmed and suspected cases of smallpox in both “non-endemic” and “endemic” countries.
On June 8, the WHO reported 1,285 cases of smallpox in 28 “non-endemic” countries. The issue covers the period from May 13 to June 8, 2022.
In several African countries, where monkeypox is endemic, there were 1,536 suspected cases and 59 confirmed cases. These were in eight countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, DR Congo, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Ghana.
72 deaths from monkeypox
The WHO monkeypox count in Africa, which covers the period from January 2022 to June 8, 2022, recorded 72 deaths from the disease in the region.
Information sharing support
“WHO continues to support the exchange of information,” the health agency said in its latest guide. “The response to clinical and public health incidents has been activated to coordinate comprehensive case research, contact follow-up, laboratory research, clinical management, isolation and the implementation of prevention and control measures. infections, “he added.
1,620 cases in non-endemic countries
BNO, a Dutch monkeypox tracker, has listed 1,620 cases, of which 1,576 are confirmed (as of 12.08 United Arab Emirates, June 13, 2022), citing reports from local media and health authorities in the countries covered.
Published monkey smallpox genome sequences
The key to sharing information is genomic sequencing of monkeypox viral DNA, which is being carried out when available, the WHO said.
Several European countries (Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Northern Ireland) and the United States have published complete or partial genome sequences from the smallpox virus found in the current outbreak.
Role of PCR tests in the detection of monkeypox
In general, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can be used in lesion material to diagnose a possible infection with the monkeypox virus. While investigations are ongoing, preliminary data from PCR trials indicate that the genes detected in the monkeypox virus belong to the “clade” of West Africa, the WHO reported.
In virology, viruses are placed in “clades” based on phylogenetic trees constructed from their genome sequences.
Clade, phylogenetic tree
CLADE:
In virology, viruses are placed in “clades” (groups of organisms) based on phylogenetic trees constructed from their genome sequences.
Depending on their genome sequences, similar viruses are grouped by their clades. Changes in these viruses are monitored by phylogeny.
PHYLOGENETIC TREE:
It is a diagram that represents the evolutionary lineages of different species, organisms, or genes of a common ancestor).
The WHO said that human infections with West African clade appear to cause less serious disease compared to the Congo Basin clade, with a mortality rate of 3.6% compared to 10.6. % of the Congo Basin clade, the agency said in a report.
What vaccines are used to fight the monkeypox virus?
The WHO stated that two types of vaccines (ACAM-2000 and MVA-BN) are being deployed by some member states to serve as prophylaxis for close contacts.
Other countries may have supplies of other types of vaccines, such as LC16.
ACAM-2000 is authorized by the FDA for smallpox (Vaccinia) for active smallpox immunization for people who are determined to have a high risk of smallpox infection. The vaccine is manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur Biologics Co.
Ankara-Bavarian Nordic Modified Vaccine (MVA-BN) is a highly attenuated vaccine virus. MVA-BN is a non-replicable smallpox vaccine distributed in a frozen liquid formulation suitable for use against smallpox. The vaccine is approved in Europe for use in the general adult population. Bavarian-Nordic stated on its website that MVA-BN, an injectable, is not yet approved in the United States, although it is currently stored by the U.S. government for emergency use in people for whom vaccine replication against smallpox is contraindicated.
Because the MVA-BN virus is highly attenuated, it is unable to replicate in the body, but is still able to elicit a potent immune response and does so without producing post-vaccination complications, the vaccine maker said.
LC16 (specifically LC16m8) is also a smallpox vaccine. It is also currently stored in the US. LC16m8 is an attenuated and replicating vaccine against smallpox derived from the Lister strain of vaccinia, currently also licensed in Japan, where it was safely used in more than 50,000 children during the 1970s. US Health (NIH), LC16m8 is “immunogenic” after a single dose.
The studies cited in 2006 in the scientific journal Vaccine state that LC16m8 administered in two different animal models demonstrated a protective efficacy equivalent to that of the only FDA-licensed smallpox vaccine.
Guide to the smallpox of the monkey
In the meantime, the WHO has said that interim guidelines are being developed or developed to support member states with awareness-raising, surveillance, diagnosis and laboratory testing, case research and contact tracing, clinical management and control of prevention of infections, vaccines and immunization and risk. communication and community participation.
The guide describes considerations for community care, patients with moderate to severe illness, sexually active people, pregnant or lactating women, children and young people.
The guide also addresses considerations for clinical management, such as the use of therapeutics, nutritional support, mental health services, and post-infection follow-up. The guide is intended for physicians, health facility managers, health care workers, and infection prevention and control professionals.