The US will deploy monkeypox vaccines among the most susceptible population

The United States plans to distribute vaccines from the monkey pox and medical treatment to close contacts of infected people, when there are already five confirmed or probable cases in that country where the outbreak appears to be growing, officials said Monday.

There is a confirmed infection in USAin Massachusettsand four other cases of people infected with orthopoxvirus – from the same family to which the monkey pox– According to officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at a press conference.

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All suspected cases are presumed to be due to monkey poxand are in the process of being confirmed at CDC headquarters, said Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of the division of pathogens and high-consequence pathologies.

One of the cases with orthopox virus is found in New York, another in Florida and the remaining two in Utah. All men.

Genetic sequencing of the Massachusetts case matches that of a patient in Portugal and belongs to a West African strain, the less aggressive of the two strains of monkey pox existing.

“Right now we hope to maximize the distribution of vaccines to those who we know can benefit from it,” McQuiston assured.

Namely, “to people who have had contact with a patient of monkey poxhealthcare workers, their closest contacts, and in particular those who may be at high risk of severe illness.”

Higher risk for immunosuppressed

In terms of supply, the United States has about a thousand doses of the JYNNEOS compound, a vaccine approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for smallpox and smallpox. monkey pox “And that level is expected to increase rapidly in the coming weeks as the company provides us with more doses,” McQuiston explained.

There are also about 100 million doses of an earlier generation vaccine called ACAM2000.

Both vaccines use live virus, but only JYNNEOS suppresses the ability of the virus to replicate, making it the safer option, according to McQuiston.

People who are immunocompromised or who have particular skin conditions, including eczema, are at high risk, added John Brooks, a medical epidemiologist.

The transmission of the monkey pox It occurs through close and sustained contact with someone who has an active skin rash, or by respiratory droplets from someone with disease lesions in their mouth who is around other people for a considerable time.

The virus can cause skin rashes, with lesions occurring on certain parts of the body, or spread more generally. In some cases, in early stages, a rash may start on the genitals or in the perianal area.

While scientists are concerned about the growing number of cases around the world potentially indicating a new type of transmission, McQuiston said there is currently no evidence to support such a theory.

Instead, the increasing number of cases could be related to some specific contagion events, such as the recent mass parties in Europe that could explain a higher prevalence in the gay and bisexual community.

However, Brooks cautions, “the current risk of exposure to monkey pox is not exclusive” to that community.

The CDC is also developing treatment guidance to enable the deployment of the antivirals tecovirimat and brincidofovir, both of which are licensed for the treatment of smallpox.

Source: Elcomercio

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