Category: Monkey Pox Vaccine

As the summer and Pride season are upon us, the San Francisco Department of Public Health (DPH) is urging everyone who wants to but particularly men, trans people, and nonbinary people who have sex with men to get the two-dose regimen of the mpox (aka monkeypox) vaccine.

Mpox never really disappeared, though we haven't had a notable outbreak in SF since the summer of 2022. There was a small uptick in cases here late summer, however, which only got scant media coverage. And, like they did at this time last year, DPH has put out a public service announcement to encourage people to get their second, or their first and second doses of the mpox vaccine if they haven't already.

DPH also notes that the Centers for Disease Control is monitoring a new mpox outbreak that's occurring in the Democratic Republic of Congo. That outbreak involves a different strain of mpox known as clade I mpox which appears to cause more severe illness. The outbreak that occurred around the globe in 2022 was clade II mpox, while clade I mpox is associated with a higher rate of fatalities among those infected.

The CDC notes that mpox is endemic in the Congo, and no cases of clade I mpox have been detected outside the country as of now.

"With summer celebrations such as Pride approaching, now is a great time to protect yourself against mpox by getting vaccinated. The mpox vaccine is available through health systems and at clinics, says SF Health Officer Dr. Susan Philip in a statement. Even if you are fully vaccinated, it is still important to remain diligent since no vaccine is 100% effective."

Symptoms of mpox include a rash that looks like pimples or blisters, and anyone experiencing such a rash should talk to their healthcare provider about getting tested. They should also inform any recent sexual partners in order to stave off further spread of the virus.

The New York City health department has been tracking a growing number of mpox cases there, with 42 new cases in the month of April, and 191 recorded so far this year. Chicago has seen 69 cases in the last six months, but only two cases were recorded last month.

San Francisco has only seen nine new cases of mpox since January 1.

Two doses of the mpox vaccine are required for full vaccination, with these doses spread 28 or more days apart.

The health department encourages people to seek vaccination from their regular healthcare provider, but they can also get vaccinated at SF City Clinic, at the SF AIDS Foundation (see more info here), and at the department's Adult Immunization and Travel Clinic by making an appointment.

Previously: Mpox Cases on the Rise Again in SF, Health Department Warns [August 2023]

Continued here:

SF Health Department Urges Queer Community to Get Vaccinated Against Mpox Ahead of Pride - SFist

Two doses of Bavarian Nordics Jynneos vaccine offer almost complete protection against mpox, according to a new report published today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Also today, MMWR published an update on clade II mpox cases in the United States, showing cases have been consistent since October 2023, with most cases occurring in unvaccinated people.

In the first study, on Jynneos, the authors say that despite perceptions that now, 2 years after the global mpox outbreak began (primarily among men who have sex with men [MSM]), cases are rising among the previously vaccinated, there is actually evidence that persistent vaccine-derived immunologic response among persons who received the 2-dose vaccine series exists.

In May 2023, a cluster of mpox cases of occurred among vaccinated MSM, leading people to think vaccine efficacy was waning.

"Public perception of an increase in monkeypox virus (MPXV) infections among fully vaccinated persons during 2024 has further fueled concerns about the 2-dose series, the authors said.

The authors examined health records for 32,819 probable or confirmed US mpox cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from May 11, 2022, to May 1, 2024, and found a total of 24,507 (75%) occurred in unvaccinated persons. There were 271 cases (0.8%) among persons who were fully vaccinated.

Of those 271 cases, only 51 (19%) occurred during 2024. Mpox cases among fully vaccinated persons occurred a median of 266 days after receipt of the second vaccine dose, the authors said.

Overall, fully vaccinated persons had a 0.1% infection rate.

The number of breakthrough infections did not comprise a significant proportion of infections, including during 2024.

The number of breakthrough infections did not comprise a significant proportion of infections, including during 2024, the authors said. With only one in four eligible U.S. persons fully vaccinated, clinicians and public health authorities should continue to focus efforts on increasing vaccine coverage.

In another report, researchers show that from October 1, 2023, through April 30, 2024, the United States has averaged 59 cases of mpox each week, mostly among unvaccinated people.

The weekly average is down significantly from a peak of 3,000 cases per week in summer 2022.

Current cases are mostly reported among males (94%), 90% of whom identify as gay or bisexual. The average age of new case-patients is 34 years, and 34% identify as Hispanic, 32% as White, 25% as Black, 3% as Asian, 2% as multiracial, and 4% as another race.

Since October 2023, five US patients with mpox have died, the authors said.

"The current average of 59 reported cases per week represents a fifty-five-fold reduction, compared with the peak of 3,274 cases reported during the week beginning July 31, 2022 (the peak outbreak week); levels have remained stable since October 2023," the authors concluded.

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Report: Mpox infections after two doses of Jynneos rare - University of Minnesota Twin Cities

AMA Update covers a range of health care topics affecting the lives of physicians, residents, medical students and patients. From private practice and health system leaders to scientists and public health officials, hear from the experts inmedicineon COVID-19, medical education, advocacy issues, burnout, vaccines and more.

Featured topic and speakers

What are the symptoms of Mpox? Who is high risk for monkeypox? Is raw milk illegal? When is Hajj 2024? Are there long term effects of meningococcal disease?

Our guest is AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH. AMA Chief Experience Officer Todd Unger hosts.

Unger: Hello and welcome to the AMA Update video and podcast. Today, we have our weekly look at the headlines with the AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia. I'm Todd Unger, AMA's chief experience officer. Andrea, welcome back.

Garcia: Thanks, Todd. It's great to be here.

Unger: We're going to start out with headlines about Mpox. When we talked about this a couple of weeks ago. We were seeing an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, driven by a deadlier version of the virus. Andrea, what's the latest news there?

Garcia: Well, that outbreak in the DRC continues to get worse. And in response on Thursday, the CDC urged people at risk in the U.S. to be vaccinated as soon as possible. Although no cases of this particular subtype have been identified outside of Africa so far, experts have said that the escalating epidemic in the DRC does pose a global threat, just as infections in Nigeria set off that 2022 outbreak that struck tens of thousands of people here in the U.S. and abroad. According to a New York Times article, as the outbreak in the DRC worsens, that less deadly type of the virus that caused that 2022 outbreak is also regaining strength.

Just as a quick reminder, there are two main types of Mpox. Clade 1that's the type that is dominant in the DRC right now, which is more deadlyand then clade 2, which is the type that caused the 2022 global outbreak. With Pride events scheduled all over the world in the coming weeks, U.S. officials expect that it's only a matter of time before we see a resurgence here.

Unger: Andrea, were many of those who are at high risk now already vaccinated in 2022?

Garcia: Well, Todd, we did contain that outbreak through behavioral change and vaccination, but there are still many people who are at high risk who have not been immunized or who haven't received two doses, because as you remember, there were supply shortages during that 2022 outbreak. We know that two doses of the vaccine are better than one with an effectiveness of up to 90%.

And even when the vaccine didn't prevent infection, it lessened the severity and duration of the illness. Fewer than one in four Americans who are at risk have received two doses. This is a problem because vaccination is really the key to controlling this long-term. Given this, CDC is now working with advocacy groups and social media influencers to help get the message out to those in the U.S. who are at the highest risk in hopes that they'll get vaccinated before the virus resurges. In December, the agency also urged physicians to remain alert for possible cases and travelers from the DRC, and that is going to be especially important now.

Unger: Well, speaking of getting prepared, Andrea, what symptoms do physicians and patients need to watch for?

Garcia: Well, people with Mpox may have fever, intense headache and back pain, followed by a rash. Many patients also develop painful sores, often at the site of infection. We know that people who have weakened immune system, including those living with HIV, are at highest risk of becoming severely ill and dying. Compounding the issue is many countries have limited access to tests, vaccines and treatment, which means a vast majority of cases are being diagnosed solely based on symptoms.

Here in the U.S., there is an FDA-approved test that detects all versions of Mpox. The challenge is it can't distinguish between them, so a positive result on that test would need to be followed by a more specific test that can identify the clade. The good news so far is that the available vaccines and antiviral drugs are expected to be effective against all forms of the virus.

Unger: All right. Thank you, Andrea. And we're going to certainly continue to watch and track the issues around Mpox. Andrea, something else that we've been trackingbird flu. That continues to make headlines. What's the latest news this week?

Garcia: Well, according to the latest data, USDA is now reporting that 51 dairy cattle herds in nine states. Nine states have confirmed cases of H5N1. There have still been no additional human cases detected since that one case from Texas was reported on April 1, and recent wastewater surveillance data, which the CDC posted for the first time last week, shows no indicators of unusual flu activity in people, including avian influenza viruses, which is good news.

While influenza testing typically declines over the summer, the CDC is working on a plan for enhanced nationwide summer monitoring to help ensure that even rare cases of H5N1 in the community are detected. This plan includes increasing the number of influenza virus specimens that are tested and then subtyped in public health laboratories that can detect H5N1, and we should be hearing more about that plan in the coming weeks.

Unger: All right. Thank you. Andrea, I know a big concern of people out there is about the milk supply. Has there been any additional news about that?

Garcia: Well, we did see the CDC issue recommendations for physicians to support consumption of only pasteurized milk and dairy products made from pasteurized milk. And most of the nutritional benefits of drinking milk are available from pasteurized milk. Physicians are being asked to educate patients on the risks of consuming unpasteurized milk or products made from unpasteurized milk, particularly emphasizing that unpasteurized milk can contain bacteria or viruses, including the H5N1 virus.

I think physicians should also remind patients that unpasteurized or raw milk and any products made from raw milk, which can include cheese and ice cream or yogurt, can be contaminated with germs that can cause serious illness, hospitalization or death. Anyone, even healthy adults, can get sick from drinking raw milk. And it's important that anyone who consumes raw milk and gets sick seek medical attention immediately.

Unger: Andrea, it just makes you wonder. Is selling raw milk even legal?

Garcia: Well, federal law prevents the sale of raw milk for human consumption in its final packaged form across state lines. But each state makes its own laws about selling raw milk within its borders. Just because raw milk may be legal to obtain in a particular state obviously does not mean that it is safe to drink.

Unger: That's a very good reminder. Andrea, earlier this week, the CDC also issued a new health alert. Tell us more about that.

Garcia: Well, on Monday, the CDC issued a health alert, or HAN, to alert physicians to cases of meningococcal disease linked to Umrah travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, or KSA. Umrah is an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that can be performed any time of the year, and the Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage. This year, that's taking place June 14 through 19. Since April of 2024, there have been 12 cases of meningococcal disease linked to KSA travel for Umrah, and they've been reported to national public health agencies. Five of those were here in the U.S., four in France and three were in the UK.

Unger: And Andrea, I think that can be potentially very devastating. Tell us more about that.

Garcia: Well, meningococcal disease is a rare but severe illness with a case fatality rate of 10% to 15%, even with appropriate antibiotic treatment. Initial symptoms may be nonspecific, but they can worsen rapidly and can become life-threatening within hours. Survivors may experience long-term effects, such as deafness or amputation of extremities. Immediate antibiotic treatment for meningococcal disease is critical.

Unger: So what do physicians need to know, in this case?

Garcia: Here in the United States, quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccination is routinely recommended for adolescents, and it's also recommended for travelers to countries where meningococcal disease is hyperendemic or epidemic. In addition, all Hajj or Umrah pilgrims age one year or older are required by KSA to receive quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine.

Physicians should be working with their patients who are considering travel to perform Hajj or Umrah to ensure that those aged one year or older have received a meningococcal conjugate vaccine within the last five years and administered at least 10 days prior to arrival in KSA. Physicians should also maintain increased suspicion for meningococcal disease in anyone presenting with symptoms after recent travel to KSA for Hajj or pilgrimage. U.S. health departments and physicians should also preferentially consider treating close contacts as well.

Unger: Andrea, that's great to know, and something we're going to continue to keep an eye on. That's it for today's episode. Thanks so much for being here and keeping us informed.

Folks out there, if you found this discussion valuable, you can support more programming like it by becoming an AMA member at ama-assn.org/join. We'll be back soon with another AMA Update. In the meantime, you can find all our videos and podcasts at ama-assn.org/podcasts. Thanks for joining us today. Please take care.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed in this video are those of the participants and/or do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the AMA.

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Continue reading here:

2024 Mpox news, bird flu raw milk dangers and CDC vaccine recommendations for travel to Saudi Arabia - American Medical Association

A NEW deadlier mpox strain is spreading in Africa and poses a "global threat", health officials have warned.

A surge in cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) raises concerns that the virus could jump to other countries.

2

The clade I strain detected in the DRC causes more severe illness and deaths than the clade II virus that triggered a global outbreak in 2022.

Since 2023, the DRC has recorded an unprecedented number of suspected Clade I virus cases, according to a new report by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

It found that there were 19,919 cases of clade I mpox reported between January 1, 2023, and April 14, 2024, along with 975 deaths.

CDC officials branded it DRC's "largest surge of mpox cases ever recorded".

2

The clade 1 strain kills up to 10 per cent of all people who become infected, compared to just three per cent for clade II.

Health experts have since urged those most vulnerable to mpox to get vaccinated before the virus potentially returns.

"Two doses of the mpox vaccine is safe and protects from severe illness," Dr Jono Mermin,from the CDC, wrote on X, formally Twitter.

The CDC previously warned of cases of the disease in surrounding Central African countries.

There are currently no reported cases of the strain outside of Africa.

The report also comes after officials found a mutantstrain of clade 1 mpox with "pandemic potential"in the small town of Kamituga, in Congo.

The new bugcalled clade 1bhas evolved to be better at spreading and evading tests than its predecessor.

Experts have called for the rollout of vaccines, drugs, heightened surveillance and for contact tracing measures to be deployed in the area.

Cases among children and adults have been linked to interactions with infected animals or close, sustained contact with infected people.

The most obvious mpox symptom is the hallmark spots.

According to theNHS, these lesions go through four stages, from flat spots to raised spots, to blisters to scabs.

But people are also likely to experienceflu-likesymptoms, which will begin between five and 21 days after infection.

The symptoms often get better by themselves over two to four weeks.

The NHS says these include:

If you have some of these symptoms and believe you could have monkeypox, you should stay at home, avoid close contact with others and get medical help by phone until youre assessed.

There are some complications associated with mpox, such as bacterial infection from skin lesions, mpox affecting the brain (encephalitis), heart (myocarditis) or lungs (pneumonia), andey

This is evidencesuggesting Clade I is now mostly being spread via sex.

Mpox, once known as monkeypox, is a viral infection that spreads through close contact, causingflu-likesymptoms and pus-filled lesions.

Clade II, a milder version of mpox sparked a global epidemic in 2022, when it spread to more than 100 countries - including the UK.

It predominantly affected gay and bisexual men and mostly spread via sexual contact.

The vaccine is recommended for people whose sexual networks mean they are more likely to come into contact with mpox.

This includes men who have sex with men, some trans and non-binary people who have sex with men and healthcare workers in high-risk settings.

For those at risk of mpox exposure, a full course of two doses of vaccine given at least 28 days apart is recommended.

If youre eligible, some specialist sexual health clinics are offering the MVA vaccine.

You can find your nearest sexual health service here.

Continued here:

Biggest ever outbreak of lethal mpox strain poses global threat, health officials warn... - The US Sun

INTRODUCTION

Smallpox eradication was certified in 1980. Mpox has been endemic in Central and West African countries since it was first detected in 1958 (1). It is a zoonosis; cases are often found close to tropical rainforests where various animals carry the orthopoxvirus that causes the disease. In endemic countries, most mpox infections in humans result from a primary animal-to-human transmission. Human-to-human transmission can result from close contact with respiratory secretions, skin lesions of an infected person, or recently contaminated objects. Transmission can also occur via the placenta from mother to fetus or through close contact during and after birth. (2)

As of 21 May 2022, 12 non-endemic countries in two World Health Organization (WHO) regions had reported 92 confirmed cases of mpox. By 26 August 2022, 96 non-endemic countries in all six WHO regions had reported 45 198 confirmed cases of mpox, including 6 deaths. During the same period, endemic countries reported 350 confirmed cases and 6 deaths. In the Region of the Americas,(1) 29 countries and territories reported 23 479 confirmed cases (48%) and 3 deaths (2,3).

Several observational studies on first generation vaccines demonstrated that smallpox vaccination was around 85% effective in preventing mpox (4). At the present time, the original (first-generation) smallpox vaccines are no longer available.

A second-generation smallpox vaccine (ACAM2000) was subsequently developed, which has been used to immunize and protect personnel at high risk of occupational exposure, such as laboratory workers and those whose work in endemic areas (5, 6). A third-generation vaccine based on a modified attenuated vaccinia virus (Ankara strain) was approved for the prevention of mpox in 2019.

Smallpox and mpox vaccines are developed in formulations based on the vaccinia virus, which offer some crossprotection for the immune response to orthopoxviruses. However, the availability of vaccines is limited.

On 31 May 2022, the VIII Ad Hoc Meeting of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Vaccine-Preventable Diseases of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) (8) was held to address the outbreak of mpox in several countries. The meetings recommendations were:

On 14 June 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) published interim guidance on vaccines and vaccination against mpox with the advice and support of its Ad-hoc Working Group on Smallpox and Mpox Vaccines of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) (9). This interim guidance includes:

On 23 July 2022, the WHO Director-General declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) (10). A coordinated response was launched, aimed at interrupting transmission and protecting vulnerable groups, and a number of recommendations were made, including vaccination.

These temporary recommendations apply to different groups of countries, based on their epidemiological situation, patterns of transmission, and capacities. These recommendations include different aspects such as: the implementation of a coordinated response, community engagement and protection, surveillance and public health measures, clinical management, and infection control, among others. WHO recommends use of the vaccine for countries that have imported cases of mpox in the population and/or human-to-human transmission of monkeypox virus, including in key population groups and communities at high risk of exposure.

The overall goal of the global response to mpox as a PHEIC, is to stop human-to-human transmission and minimize zoonotic transmission of the monkeypox virus wherever it occurs.

The use of vaccines can contribute to this response. However, vaccination should be considered a measure to complement primary public health interventions that include surveillance, early case detection, diagnosis and care, isolation and contact tracing and follow-up, and self-monitoring to reduce contacts.

This document aims to provide useful accessible, and understandable information about mpox vaccines in order to facilitate deployment of vaccination strategies in the context of the current epidemiological scenario and based on the recommendations of the VIII Ad Hoc Meeting of the PAHO Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (8).

This guidance offers a conceptual framework for available vaccines, supporting immunization program managers at the national and subnational levels and vaccinators in technical operations for vaccine utilization.

To facilitate updates, this document is organized around the various components required for deployment and includes relevant information on vaccines, administration techniques, the information system, events supposedly attributable to vaccination or immunization (ESAVI; also known as adverse events following immunization [AEFI]), waste management, and indications for vaccination.

(1) Daily update of the regional epidemiological situation. Pan American Health Organization. Monkeypox cases Region of the Americas. Washington, DC: PAHO. Available from: https://shiny.pahobra.org/monkeypox/

REFERENCES (1) United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Monkeypox. Atlanta; CDC; 2022. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/about.html (2) World Health Organization. Mpox (monkeypox). Geneva; WHO; 2022. Available from: https://www.who.int/healthtopics/monkeypox#tab=tab_1 (3) Pan American Health Organization. Weekly Situation Report on Monkeypox Multi-Country Outbreak Response - Region of the Americas. 26 August 2022. Available from: https://www.paho.org/en/documents/weekly-situationreport-monkeypox-multi-country-outbreak-response-region-americas-26 (4) Fine, P; Jezek, B; Grab, B; Dixon, H. The transmission potential of monkeypox virus in human populations. Int J Epidemiol. 1988 Sep;17(3):643-50. Available from: https://academic.oup.com/ije/article-abstract/17/3/643/729853 (5) Food and Drug Administration. ACAM2000 (Smallpox Vaccine) Questions and Answers. Silver Spring: FDA; 2022. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-bloodbiologics/vaccines/acam2000-smallpox-vaccine-questions-andanswers (6) Food and Drug Administration. ACAM2000. Silver Spring: FDA; 2019. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/vaccinesblood-biologics/vaccines/acam2000 (8) Pan American Health Organization. VIII Ad Hoc Meeting of PAHOs Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. Technical Briefing on the Multi-Country Monkeypox Outbreak: Recommendations onMonkeypox Vaccines and Vaccination. Washington, D.C.: PAHO; 2022. Available from: https://iris.paho.org/handle/10665.2/56102?locale-attribute=en (9) World Health Organization (WHO). Vaccines and immunization for monkeypox. Interim guidance, June 2022. Geneva: WHO; 2020. Available from: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/356120?search-result=true&query=Vvccines+and+immunization+for+monkeypox%3A+Interim+guidance%2C+14+June+2022&scope=&rpp=10&sort_by=score&order=desc (10) World Health Organization. WHO Director-Generals statement at the press conference following IHR Emergency Committee regarding the multi-country outbreak of monkeypox - 23 July 2022. Geneva: WHO; 2022. Available from: https://www.who.int/es/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-statement-on-the-pressconference-following-IHR-emergency-committee-regarding-the-multi--country-outbreak-of-monkeypox--23-july2022

More here:

Guidance on the use of mpox vaccines. Revised edition [EN/PT] - World - ReliefWeb

What You Need to Know About the Mpox Outbreak in Cuyahoga County

Outbreak of Mpox in the U.S.

In 2022, an outbreak of Mpox was reported in the U.S. Mpox is a virus related to monkeypox, which used to be called monkeypox. It typically starts with the appearance of pimples or blister-like rashes on the body.

Symptoms and Spread

According to Joyous Van Meter, supervisor of disease & emergency preparedness at the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, Mpox can cause itching or pain in various areas such as the hands, feet, chest, face, genitals, and more. The flu can sometimes mimic these symptoms, including fever, chills, and body aches.

The transmission of Mpox usually occurs through skin-to-skin contact. However, it can also spread through respiratory secretions like coughs and sneezes. It takes weeks for an infected person to become contagious after all scabs have fallen off and a new layer of skin has formed. Van Meter advises isolating infected individuals as long as they are contagious.

High-Risk Groups

People at higher risk for Mpox include those who have had multiple sexual partners, especially within the past six months, those who have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection, and those who have engaged in anonymous or commercial sex.

Diagnosis and Treatment

The Jynneos vaccine is highly effective in preventing Mpox in the medical community. Proper diagnosis and treatment can also help reduce the risk of spread.

Cleveland Public Health and County Reporting

Cleveland Public Health has received three Mpox cases, while the county has reported six cases so far. The patients affected range in age from 17 to 44.

Testing and Vaccine Availability

CCBH clinics in Warrensville Heights and Parma offer diagnostic testing for Mpox, as well as the Jynneos vaccine. To schedule a nursing appointment, individuals can contact 216-201-2041 or ccbhnurse@ccbh.net.

Efforts of Local Centers

The Central Outreach Wellness Center in Cleveland Heights provides sexual health care services to the LGBTQ+ community. They have been actively vaccinating their patients and educating them about Mpox. The center hosted special vaccine clinics during the 2022 outbreak and is prepared to handle an increase in cases this summer.

The LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland has also organized education sessions and vaccine events focused on Mpox. They are collaborating with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health to disseminate more information and messaging about the local Mpox outbreak.

Conclusion

While the Mpox outbreak poses a risk to the community, efforts are being made to raise vaccine rates, provide proper care, and educate the public. It is crucial for individuals to seek testing and vaccination if they are at higher risk or exhibit symptoms related to Mpox. By taking these precautions, the number of Mpox cases can be minimized, ensuring the health and safety of the community.

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Understanding the Mpox Outbreak in Cuyahoga County: Symptoms, Prevention, and Vaccine Availability - GVS ... - Global Village space

A dose-sparing intradermal mpox (formerly monkeypox) vaccination regimen was safe and generated an antibody response equivalent to that induced by the standard regimen at six weeks (two weeks after the second dose), according to findings presented today at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Global Congress in Barcelona. The results suggest that antibody responses contributed to the effectiveness of dose-sparing mpox vaccine regimens usedduring the 2022 U.S. outbreak.

Thempoxvirus has been present in west, central and east Africa for decades, with the first human case identified in 1970. In May 2022, a global mpox outbreak caused by theclade IIb strain of the virusprovided the first epidemiologic evidence of community mpox transmission outside of historically affected countries.

The Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic vaccine (MVA-BN, sold as Jynneos) was made available to help contain the outbreak in the United States. The National Institutes of Healths (NIH) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) sponsored a study of dose-sparing strategies to extend the limited vaccine supply.

The mid-stage study enrolled 225 adults aged 18 to 50 years in the United States who had not previously been vaccinated against mpox or smallpox. Participants were randomized to receive either the standard Food and Drug Administration-approved MVA-BN regimen, a regimen containing one-fifth of the standard dose, or one with one-tenth of the standard dose. The standard dose was injected under the skin (subcutaneously), while the dose-sparing regimens were injected between layers of the skin (intradermally). Participants in all study arms received two injections 28 days apart and were monitored for safety and immune response.

Two weeks after the second dose (study day 43), participants who received one-fifth of the standard dose had antibody levels equivalent to those of participants receiving the standard MVA-BN regimen, based on predefined criteria. By day 57, participants who received one-fifth of the standard dose had lower antibody levels than those in the standard regimen arm; the clinical significance of this difference is unknown. Participants who received one-tenth of the standard dose had inferior antibody levels at all measurements.

The most reported adverse events were mild, local injection-site reactions. Adverse events were similar across all arms of the trial, and no serious adverse events related to the vaccine were reported.

The authors note that because there are no defined correlates of protection against mpoximmune processes confirmed to prevent diseasethese findings cannot predict the efficacy of dose-sparing regimens with certainty. Real-world data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others have shown similar vaccine effectiveness for the dose-sparing regimen given intradermally and the standard regimen given subcutaneously. A study of the standard MVA-BN regimen in adolescents is ongoing and will report findings later this year.

NIH is grateful to the research sites and volunteers who participate in studies to improve the mpox response.

For more information about this study, please visit ClinicalTrials.gov and use the identifierNCT05512949.

This news release waspublishedby the National Institutes of Health on April 27, 2024.

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Lower Dose of Mpox Vaccine Is Safe and Generates 6-Week Antibody Response - POZ

Just when you thought the modern world couldnt become more cartoonish, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation released the most bizarre advertisement for Mpox vaccinations Tuesday.

For some reason, the CDC Foundation captioned their social media post containing the borderline seizure-inducing ad with the sentence family comes first, even though there is not a single thing about the subject matter that has anything to do with actual families. The entire production is centered on HBOs Dashaun Wesley who the CDC Foundation and apparently other people believe is the King of Vogue (thats Madonna and Ill die on this hill) and the fact he didnt get his second dose of the Mpox vaccine.

Originally called monkeypox, Mpox is a predominantly sexually transmitted disease that has spread mostly through men who have sex with other men. (RELATED: Mans Nose Rots After Monkeypox, Syphilis And HIV Infection)

And it seems that the CDC Foundation ad is specifically targeted to this demographic in a pretty stereotypical way. Personally, the gay men I know wouldnt be seen dead in the pants worn by Wesleys chosen family in the ad, but perhaps thats just a personal bias.

Despite having almost 150,000 followers, the CDC Foundations post received just 31 likes, even though they probably (hopefully) paid Wesley to appear in it to boost engagement. What a weirdo, wrote one user in the comments. Such an odd PSA.

The CDC lists Mpox as a potentially serious disease and is part of the smallpox family. Symptoms range from a rash and flu-like feeling that can last some two to four weeks. The available vaccinations for Mpox have a host of common side effects that all sound pretty similar to the flu.

More here:

CDC Releases World's Weirdest Vaccination Ad - Daily Caller

Mobile Operations Manager Parsia Jahanbani gives the monkeypox vaccine to Henry Tran at Families Together of Orange County in Tustin, CA on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. The Jynneos vaccine consists of two doses administered 28 days apart. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

As a health communications researcher specializing in vaccine hesitancy, the last few years in my field have been paradoxical. Vaccinations played a large part in ushering us into the post-pandemic world, yet a misinfodemic against vaccines persists. Misinformation about vaccines has eroded confidence in vaccines prevention promise and has inflicted even our progressive state of California. As of August 2023, about 73% of Californians have received the initial series of COVID-19 vaccines, compared to only 38% of children between ages 5 to 11. In recognition of World Immunization Week taking place annually during the last week of April I want to highlight the collective action needed to improve vaccine uptake to protect people of all ages.

Our biggest threat to improving vaccine uptake is the rise in misinformation mostly propagated on social media platforms. Having taken root during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, continuing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the devastating aftermath of the 2020 U.S. Presidential election misinformation is pervasive.

In my research scrubbing one of the more popular microblogging services, X (formerly Twitter), misinformation around the COVID-19 vaccine clocked in nearly 14.9 million tweets. Our research published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine delineated the kinds of vaccine misinformation spread on social media. Falsehoods about vaccination ranged across nine categories that undermine vaccine confidence, including falsehoods about vaccine ingredients, safety, side effects, testing of the vaccine, alternatives to vaccinating, effects on the immune system, vaccine efficacy, vaccine information being concealed and doubts about the necessity of the vaccine. When users questions and concerns are not rapidly addressed and information voids ensue, such an environment is conducive to the adoption of pervasive misinformation being turned to and accepted.

Now what were seeing is that the misinfodemic has slowly made its way off our phones and into pediatrician offices nationwide. During the 2022-23 school year, kindergarten vaccination rates did not return to pre-pandemic levels and our nation is now reporting the highest rate of vaccine exemptions, including medical and nonmedical, ever seen. Of the kindergartners with vaccine exemptions, over 93% had a nonmedical exemption. Parents are choosing to exempt their children from life-saving vaccines at the cost of our communitys safety.

Higher rates of unvaccinated people in a community are associated with a greater incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, which has made a startling return. Take for example the 2014 measles outbreak that began at Disneyland, California, or in 2019, the largest measles outbreak in the U.S. that occurred in a New York City community with a cluster of unvaccinated children. And now, in the first three months of 2024, as reported by the Associated Press, the CDC shows that the number of measles cases is 17 times higher than in the previous three years of the same timeframe.

Why are parents hesitating in getting their children vaccinated or avoiding them altogether? Addressing the scourge of misinformation requires a multi-faceted approach to improve vaccine uptake across the nation.

In a society where facts are distorted and falsehoods proliferate, individuals are robbed of the ability to make sound judgments based on reality. We cannot afford to be passive bystanders in the fight for the truth our communitys health depends on it.

Suellen Hopfer is Associate Professor of Health, Society, and Behavior, with the UC Irvine Program in Public Health. She has affiliated appointments with the UCI School of Medicines Department of Pediatrics and the UCI School of Humanities Department of Asian American Studies.

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The true cost of vaccine misinformation: A vulnerable nation - OCRegister

Special to Iredell Free News

RALEIGH The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services is reporting a statewide increase in mpox cases. Over the past six months, 45 cases have been reported in 12 counties across North Carolina.

The national mpox outbreak began in late May 2022 and peaked from July to August 2022. A total of 703 cases were reported in North Carolina that year, and only nine cases occurred in 2023.

The mpox virus, formerly known as monkeypox, is primarily spread by prolonged close contact, typically skin-to-skin, that occurs during sexual activity. It is the associated rash, scabs or body fluid which contain the virus. Although anyone can become infected with mpox, cases have predominantly occurred among gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men.

Fortunately, a safe and effective vaccine is available that reduces the risk of mpox infection, hospitalization and death. Those who are already fully vaccinated with two doses do not need to receive additional mpox vaccine doses.

It is important people know how to protect themselves against mpox infection as we have seen cases increasing across North Carolina over recent months, said Dr. Erica Wilson, medical director for the medical consultation unit in the NCDHHS Division of Public Health. The JYNNEOS vaccine is an important tool and North Carolina has an ample supply of vaccine.

Vaccines are currently free and available throughout North Carolina, regardless of immigration status. The two-dose JYNNEOS vaccine series is recommended for anyone at risk for mpox and aged 18 years and older, which includes the following:

Anyone who has or may have multiple or anonymous sex partners; or Anyone whose sex partners are eligible per the criterion above; or People who know or suspect they have been exposed to mpox in the last 14 days; or Anyone else who considers themselves to be at risk for mpox through sex or other intimate contact.

The mpox vaccine locator can be used to find local vaccine providers.

Anyone who develops mpox symptoms should seek medical care. Symptoms include a rash on any part of the body, like the genitals, hands, feet, chest, face or mouth. The rash can initially look like pimples or blisters and may be painful or itchy. The rash will go through several stages, including scabs, before healing. Some people experience flu-like symptoms before the rash, while others get a rash first followed by other symptoms. In some cases, a rash is the only symptom experienced.

Other mpox symptoms can include fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, muscle aches and backache, headache and respiratory symptoms (i.e. sore throat, nasal congestion or cough).

People with mpox are usually sick for about two to four weeks and can spread the virus from shortly before symptoms start until their rash is completely healed, meaning until the scabs fall off and new skin appears. Some patients may benefit from antiviral treatment, including those with severe illness or people with HIV that is not well controlled or other immune compromising conditions. Antiviral treatment may also help treat painful or severe mpox disease involving the eyes, mouth, throat, genitals and anus.

NCDHHS is working closely with local health departments and community partners to provide education about mpox, when to get tested and improve vaccine access for people at higher risk. These efforts to enhance communication, education and outreach include social media campaigns, distributing educational materials, the Mpox Equity Report, the Mpox Communications Toolkit and the Take Pride Now campaign.

LEARN MORE

More information about the virus, how to limit the risk of infection, and how to get vaccinated can be found on the North Carolina Mpox andCDC Mpoxwebsites.

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NCDHHS announces increased of number cases of mpox across state, urges vaccination - Iredell Free News