What is the best way to combat the global spread of monkeypox virus infection?
This was emphasized by the World Health Organization (WHO), as the agency continues to receive updates on the status of ongoing outbreaks of monkeypox and newly reported cases.
On Saturday (June 10th), the WHO published “Interim Response” guidelines for clinical management and infection prevention and control of monkeypox in healthcare and communities.
Early warning system
The WHO, based in Geneva, has also set up a monitoring network that serves as an early warning system to quickly detect outbreaks of disease before they spread, cost lives and become difficult to control, assess the impact of the intervention and track progress.
As for monkeypox, the WHO said the disease was “usually self-limiting”, but noted that it could be “severe in some people, such as children, pregnant women or people with immune suppression due to other health conditions”.
2821 cases
In its latest update, the WHO said it had received reports of a total of 2,821 confirmed and suspected cases of monkeypox from both “non-endemic” and “endemic” countries.
As of June 8, the WHO had reported 1,285 cases of monkeypox among 28 “non-endemic” countries. The issue covers the period from 13 May to 8 June 2022.
In several African countries where monkeypox is endemic, there are 1,536 suspected cases and 59 confirmed cases. They were in eight countries: Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the DRC, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana.
72 monkeypox deaths
The WHO calculation for monkeypox in Africa, which covers the period from January 2022 to June 8, 2022, registered 72 deaths from the disease in the region.
Support for sharing information
“The WHO continues to support information sharing,” the health authority said in its latest guide. “Incident response with clinical and public health has been activated to coordinate comprehensive case detection, contact tracking, laboratory testing, clinical management, isolation and implementation of infection prevention and control measures,” he added.
1620 cases in non-endemic countries
BNO, the Dutch monkey tracking system, has listed 1,620 cases – of which 1,576 have been confirmed (as of 12.08 UAE, 13 June 2022), citing reports from local media and health authorities in the affected countries.
Published sequences of the monkeypox genome
The key to information sharing is the genomic sequencing of monkeypox virus DNA, which is being undertaken where possible, the WHO said.
Several European countries (Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) and the United States have published full or partial genomic sequences of the monkeypox virus the current epidemic.
Role of PCR tests in the detection of monkeypox
In general, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can be used on lesion material to diagnose potential monkeypox virus infection. As investigations continue, preliminary data from PCR analyzes show that the monkeypox virus genes found belong to the West African “pile”, the WHO said.
In virology, viruses are placed in “logs” based on phylogenetic trees made up of their genomic sequences.
Treasure, phylogenetic tree
TREASURE:
In virology, viruses are placed in “clusters” (groups of organisms) based on phylogenetic trees made up of their genomic sequences.
Based on their genomic sequences, such viruses are grouped by their classes. Changes in these viruses are monitored by phylogeny.
PHYLOGENETIC TREE:
This is a diagram that depicts the lines of evolution of different species, organisms or genes from a common ancestor).
The WHO said that human infections with West African logs appear to cause less severe disease than Congo Basin logs, with a mortality rate of 3.6% compared to 10.6% for Congo Basin logs, indicates the agency in a report.
What vaccines are used to fight the monkeypox virus?
The WHO has said that two types of vaccines (ACAM-2000 and MVA-BN) are being developed by some Member States to serve as prophylaxis for close contacts.
Other countries may keep supplies of other types of vaccines, such as LC16.
ACAM-2000 is licensed by the FDA for smallpox (Vaccinia) for active immunization against smallpox for individuals who have been determined to be at high risk for smallpox infection. The vaccine was produced by Sanofi Pasteur Biologics Co.
The modified Ankara-Bavarian Nordic vaccine (MVA-BN) is a highly attenuated vaccine virus. MVA-BN is a non-replicating smallpox vaccine distributed in a liquid-frozen formulation suitable for use against smallpox. The vaccine is approved in Europe for use in the general adult population. Bavarian-Nordic states on its website that MVA-BN, an injectable, has not yet been approved in the United States, although it is currently being stored by the US government for emergency use in people for whom replicating smallpox vaccines are contraindicated.
Because the MVA-BN virus is highly attenuated, it is unable to replicate in the body, but is still able to elicit a strong immune response and does so without causing complications after vaccination, the vaccine manufacturer said.
LC16 (particularly LC16m8), also an attenuated smallpox vaccine, is also currently stored in the United States. LC16m8, an attenuated, replicable smallpox vaccine derived from the Lister vaccine strain, is also currently licensed in Japan, where it has been safely used in more than 50,000 children in the 1970s. According to a report by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), LC16m8 is “immunogenic” after a single dose.
Studies cited in 2006 in the scientific journal Vaccine indicate that LC16m8, used in two different animal models, demonstrates protective efficacy equivalent to that of the only FDA-licensed smallpox vaccine.
Guidelines for monkeypox
In the meantime, the WHO has said that interim guidelines are being developed or have been developed to assist Member States in raising awareness, monitoring, laboratory diagnostics and testing, case investigation and follow-up, clinical management and control to prevent infections, vaccines and immunization and risk communication and community engagement.
The guide outlines community care considerations, patients with moderate to severe illness, sexually active individuals, pregnant or lactating women, children and young people.
The guide also addresses clinical management considerations, such as the use of therapeutic agents, nutritional support, mental health services, and post-infection follow-up. The guide is intended for clinicians, healthcare managers, healthcare professionals and infection prevention and control practitioners.
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