Category: Monkey Pox Vaccine

A new study into mpox has suggested that beyond gay and bi men getting the vaccine, people cutting back on their sexual partners played a major role in curbing the spread of the virus.

In 2022, cases of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) exploded across Europe and the US. The disease is usually confined to parts of West and Central Africa. It soon became apparent that the virus was spreading predominantly between men who had sex with men.

Health authorities urged gay men to take advantage of an existing smallpox vaccine, which also limits the symptoms of mpox. Many queued up to obtain the vaccine. Its administered as two shots given a few weeks apart.

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However, this new study found that viral spread began to decline before the vaccine roll-out had a big impact. Even before 10% of gay guys were vaccinated, mpox showed signs of peaking in the US.

They conclude that gay men temporarily reducing their number of sexual partners played a big role. It could be the main reason the mpox epidemic subsided as quickly as it did.

Once the mpox epidemic was recognized, behavioral modification in the men-who-have-sex-with-men community resulted in a sharp decline in [the rate of transmission] in North America ahead of vaccination rollout in the U.S., concluded a team led by Miguel Paredes, an epidemiologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle.

The results appeared last week in the journal, Cell.

According to the CDC, in the US in 2022, there were 31,698 known cases of mpox and 56 deaths. The majority of deaths were in people who were immunocompromised, including those with HIV.

The outbreak was first reported in the UK in May 2022. Cases began to appear in the US later that month. It peaked in August 2022. Speaking to the New York Times, Paredes said this demonstrates that public health messaging can, be really powerful to control epidemics, even as were waiting for things like vaccines to come.

Those infected with mpox also develop a level of immunity from re-infection. Therefore, some high-risk individuals develop resistance without getting the vaccination.

The study used models, including flight data and genetic sequencing, to estimate when the outbreak occurred. They believe it likely started in the UK between December 2021 and March 2022, even if the first case wasnt diagnosed until May 2022.

They go on to say that the outbreak began spreading in five distinct global regions before health authorities became aware. Because of this, rushing to introduce travel bans would have had little impact.

Trevor Bedford, an evolutionary biologist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, said the research highlights the importance of closely monitoring viruses and bacteria within the community.

If we can catch emerging pathogens earlier on, like even weeks, it will make a big difference in terms of changing the course of these epidemics, Dr. Bedford told the New York Times.

Mpox has not disappeared and there are still cases popping up in the US. The CDC reports 312 cases so far in 2024. The states with the highest number of cases continue to be California and New York (34 and 77 cases so far in 2024 respectively). Both states were hotspots in 2022.

Doctors encourage all gay men to take advantage of the vaccine and to get both shots for maximum protection.

Read more here:

New study details how gay men helped curb the spread of mpox & stop the epidemic from getting worse - Queerty

Wake County Public Health is encouraging those at risk for mpox to get vaccinated and help prevent the spread by taking advantage of convenient, no-cost appointments and walk-in clinics.

This reminder comes on the heels of three new mpox cases confirmed in Wake County within the last six weeks.

The vaccine for mpox is widely available and is a safe, effective way to lower your risk of getting the virus, said Wake County Commissioner Cheryl Stallings. At Wake County, were making it as easy as possible for anyone who would like to receive the shot to do so. Getting the vaccine now can help protect you through spring and summer when large events and festivals tend to take place.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a virus in the smallpox family. It first rose to the national spotlight in summer 2022 when there was an unusual global outbreak with more than 31,000 cases reported in the U.S. Since the beginning of the outbreak, 721 cases have been reported in North Carolina, with 119 of those being in Wake County.

Where to get vaccinated Wake County Public Health offers both walk-in and appointment services for the vaccine.

Walk-in services (no appointment needed):

Appointment only services:

The JYNNEOS vaccine is a two-dose injection that helps prevent against mpox when given before or shortly after exposure to mpox.

Mpox symptoms According to the CDC, symptoms of mpox can include:

In addition, those at risk of getting sick with mpox should consider taking the following safety precautions:

Learn more about mpox, including where to find testing and vaccinations, at wake.gov/mpox.

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Wake County Public Health reminds residents of free mpox vaccine offerings amid new cases - Wake County Government (.gov)

WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Wake County Public Health (WCPH) announced three new confirmed cases of mpox within the last six weeks.

Mpox is a virus in the smallpox family.

WCPH is now encouraging those at risk for the virus to get vaccinated.

They are now accepting walk-ins and appointments for the mpox vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control voted to recommend routine mpox vaccines to prevent high-risk infections last October.

Back in 2022, the World Health Organization renamed monkeypox as 'mpox,' citing stigma and discrimination concerns.

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What is mpox | 3 new cases of mpox identified in Wake County - WTVD-TV

16/02/2024

Researchers are looking for volunteers to join its first-in-human vaccinations trial in the UK in the fight against monkeypox.

The North Wales Clinical Research Facility (NWCRF) are conducting the clinical trial sponsored by Moderna for investigational vaccines aimed at fighting mpox (previously known as monkeypox) and influenza.

The mpox study, called the mPower Trial, is helping researchers learn more about an investigational vaccine called mRNA-1769, that is being tested to see if it can preventillness from the mpox virus. The mPower Trial aims to study the safety profile and immune response to mRNA-1769.

The mPower Trial, being held at theNorth Wales Clinical Research Facility next to Wrexham Maelor Hospital, is currently enrolling adults between the ages of 18 and 49 who are in generally good health to take part in the investigational vaccine trial.

Dr Orod Osanlou, Director of NWCRF and Consultant in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, internal medicine, said: Global viruses have the potential to change, causing hospitalisations and death around the world. Thats why its important to potentially prepare for outbreaks by studying investigational vaccines.

The research facility also has a database called Consent 4 Consent (C4C), an internal secure database of patients and volunteers who wish to be considered as potential participants for future research projects.

Dr Osanlou said: We are encouraging volunteers and patients to sign up to take part in our research projects. Nearly all research needs the help of volunteers in order to find out whether the investigational vaccines are safe and effective.

This is completely voluntary, you can choose to be removed from the database at any point. Some studies will also reimburse volunteers expenses for travel and inconvenience.

If youre interested in participating in either of these clinical trials, or wish to join the research trial database please contact the NWCRF research team via 03000 858032 or email BCU.NWCRFParticipant@wales.nhs.uk.

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Wrexham Maelor researchers participate as investigators in a new UK first-in-human vaccination trial - Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

The CDCs Call for Increased JYNNEOS Vaccination

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are urging clinicians, health departments, and community-based organizations to continue recommending the two-dose JYNNEOS vaccine to eligible individuals. Despite the vaccines availability at health clinics and pharmacies across the United States, the vaccination uptake has plateaued at just 25%. To protect public health and curb the spread of the virus, it is therefore essential that the uptake of the JYNNEOS vaccine is increased.

JYNNEOS, developed by Bavarian Nordic A/S, is a vaccine primarily used to protect against smallpox and monkeypox, collectively referred to as mpox. The JYNNEOS vaccine has been the subject of considerable investment by the U.S. government. Bavarian Nordic A/S secured $83 million in funding from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) for the vaccine, marking a second investment from the U.S. government. This brings the total investment into JYNNEOS to approximately $200 million, with an additional $12 million expected to be awarded in 2021. The funding will allow for the manufacturing of liquid-frozen doses of the vaccine and will improve preparedness against smallpox and monkeypox.

JYNNEOS is highly effective in preventing the spread of mpox. The vaccine has potential to protect against severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Numerous stories have been shared by individuals who have received the vaccine, providing first-hand accounts of its effectiveness and the importance of its widespread uptake. Not only does the vaccine protect the individual, but it also contributes to the overall health of the community by reducing the risk of spread.

Currently, there is an outbreak of mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The CDC provides information about ways to reduce the risk of mpox during social gatherings and sexual activity, as well as self-care tips for those recovering from the virus. However, the most effective measure to prevent the spread of the virus is through vaccination. Therefore, the increased uptake of the JYNNEOS vaccine is crucial in containing the outbreak and protecting public health.

The JYNNEOS vaccine plays a vital role in preventing the spread of mpox and protecting against severe illness, hospitalization, and death. The CDCs call for increased vaccination rates, coupled with substantial investment from the U.S. government, underscores the importance of this vaccine. It is therefore crucial for individuals to get vaccinated and for health professionals to continue recommending the JYNNEOS vaccine. By doing so, we can protect not only ourselves but also our communities, and contribute to the global effort to curb the spread of mpox.

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CDC's Call for Increased JYNNEOS Vaccination | Vaccine Effectiveness and Outbreak Measures - Medriva

Closeted men who have sex with men were less likely to get vaccinated or treated for Mpox than those who were out, according to a new study. Contrary to the researchers hypothesis, however, the findings suggested that the difference in vaccination rates had more to do with a lack of knowledge than with concerns about being outed.

The resource knowledge and community-connected piece seems to be implicated in that process, not outing concerns, and that was a surprise to me, said Joel Le Forestier, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Communication at Cornell University and the lead author of the study, which published earlier this month in the journal Psychological Science.

During the 2022 Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) outbreak, which primarily affected men who have sex with men, Le Forestier and his colleagues recruited hundreds of sexual-minority men in Australia, Canada, the U.K, and the U.S. to complete online surveys at two points: first around the peak of the outbreak in August 2022 and then several months later after the Mpox vaccine became widely available and the outbreak waned.

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In a press release from Cornell, Le Forestier explained that the research was inspired by a friends observation that closeted men who may not be connected to the broader LGBTQ+ community might not even know about the vaccine or where to get it. Le Forestier said that he had observed long lines of men who appeared to present as sexual minorities outside of a Toronto clinic offering Mpox vaccinations.

Im thinking, if youre in this long line of identifiably sexual minority men, and your friend walks by, youve just been outed to your friend, he said.

His friend, however, countered that closeted men might not even know those lines existed.

The only places that my friend had seen ads for Mpox vaccine clinics were in gay bars, and in the local gay village community center, Le Forestier explained. So if youre not engaging in the community in these sort of public ways, then these resources just arent getting to you.

Le Forestier and his team predicted that men who conceal their sexuality would report concerns of being outed if they sought the Mpox vaccine, and they were right. But those concerns did not necessarily correlate to lower intentions to get the vaccine.

What that suggests, Le Forestier explained, is that people who are in the closet and afraid of being outed are nonetheless saying, This is important enough to me that Im going to do it anyway.

Le Forestier said that the studys findings indicate both the benefits of being enmeshed in a community and also that more work needs to be done by public health departments to get information to marginalized groups.

Affiliating with that community and becoming a part of that community can confer some real benefits to you, he explained. Knowing about public health resources is not the only thing but its definitely one of them.

Originally posted here:

Closeted men were less likely to get the Mpox vaccine for a very surprising reason - LGBTQ Nation

Warning of uptick in mpox cases, at-risk people advised to get vaccine

by LIZ BONIS, WKRC

(Provided)

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - A warning from the Cincinnati Health Department as it sees cases climb of a potentially dangerous virus.

Just because we don't hear as much about it doesn't mean it's gone.

That's the message from public health specialists in the Tri-State who are reminding at-risk individuals to get the vaccine against monkeypox.

"It's called MPOX now, so it's not called monkeypox any longer. It's not spread by monkeys, so that's why they wanted to get away from that name and call it mpox," epidemiologist Kimberly Wright from the Cincinnati Health Department reminded people.

Wright says the CDC says it's a sexually transmitted virus and her team is putting out an alert to let people know the mpox vaccine can help stop its spread.

"There has been an uptick since last fall, we've only had three confirmed cases in people in Cincinnati, but the state did notify us that there's an uptick in our region."

You're at risk for this virus if you have been in close contact with someone with mpox.

Symptoms show up in one to four days usually and can include everything from fevers and headaches to a bad blister-like rash on the body, including on the genitals.

Getting the vaccine before symptoms show up can reduce the odds of the virus setting in.

"Primarily the spread have been with men having sex with men and then people who are immunocompromised with HIV for example are people ending up in the hospital."

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Warning of uptick in mpox cases, at-risk people advised to get vaccine - WKRC TV Cincinnati

The amount of people in high-risk groups getting the COVID-19 vaccine globally is "abysmal", the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned, in a blunt message about global health threats in 2024.

From the emergence of the new JN.1 coronavirus strain, to concerns over monkeypox in central Africa, to the spread of mosquito-carried disease in new countries thanks to climate change, health looks set to hit the headlines once again next year.

As we close out 2023, we look at what the next 12 months could bring.

Sky News spoke to Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, an expert on infectious diseases, who leads the WHO's Department for Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention.

"I don't understand why it's a surprise," she tells Sky News, when asked about rising COVID-19 cases.

"Certainly we haven't really seen a seasonality with COVID yet. But for all of the other respiratory diseases we see an increase in the autumn and winter months in temperate regions. So it shouldn't be seen as a surprise."

This is why vaccination campaigns start early for things like influenza and COVID-19, targeting the most vulnerable, she says.

She adds: "But the vaccination coverage in all countries of the at-risk groups is abysmal

"For me, this is the biggest frustration COVID-19 actually has solutions, influenza has solutions, that can prevent severe disease and death. Why aren't we using them?"

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Climate change and spread of Dengue fever

And it's not just coronavirus that could find itself in the spotlight over the coming year.

As global leaders gathered in Dubai to discuss the fight against climate change earlier this month, global warming was already having an effect on the spread of infectious disease, Dr Van Kerkhove says.

Dengue fever, a virus transmitted to humans by mosquitoes, is a good example.

"It really illustrates the challenges because you have the mosquitoes going further north and further south," she says.

"Countries like Italy are seeing dengue transmission within their borders that they've never experienced before."

It's thought that mosquitoes carrying dengue fever could be common in England by the 2040s.

Climate change, she says, is having an impact now.

"This is not a theoretical risk into the future. It's happening now and it has to be addressed now."

Monkeypox outbreak

Dr Van Kerkhove also pointed to an outbreak of the monkeypox virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in central Africa.

"We have a huge outbreak which is now in sexual networks," she says. "Once this virus gets into sexual networks it can transmit quite efficiently between people."

Monkeypox is a disease caused by infection with the mpox virus. There are two types of the mpox virus: Clade I and Clade II.

Clade I has a higher mortality, with a fatality rate of around 10%. Clade II is generally milder, and it was this type that was circulating in Europe, Dr Van Kerkhove said.

"So we are worried about Clade I expanding to other countries, and there's very little attention on mpox right now," she explains.

She said these kinds of things don't need to be in the news every day, as long as governments themselves don't lose focus on infectious threats.

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Infectious disease in war zones

The world goes into 2024 with two conflicts - Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas - dominating the spotlight, as well as a host of other underreported wars worldwide.

For medical professionals, the desperate conditions in war zones and the destruction of people's homes raise the risk of the spread of infectious diseases.

"It makes it that much harder," Dr Van Kerkhove says. "In addition to the infectious threats that they face, people are hungry, they're malnourished, they don't have access to clean water and waste systems and they're cold.

"People who are scared and threatened will suffer more when infectious diseases are around."

Read more: COVID strain classified 'variant of interest' Baroness Mone admits she stands to benefit from PPE contract

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Are we prepared for another pandemic?

The pandemic felt like it came out of nowhere.

Governments were left reeling as cases soared - with their people locked down or unable to visit suffering loved ones.

So four years later, is the world better prepared?

Yes and no, Dr Van Kerkhove says.

On the one hand, she says, she looks at capacities around the world for things like surveillance, testing and sequencing of new threats, as well as advancements in areas like infection prevention and the efforts of community health workers.

"The work in those areas put us in a much better position for the next one," she says.

But there are things that make Dr Van Kerkhove less sure about how prepared we are to tackle a new pandemic.

She explains: "I look at declining trust in the world. I look at the attacks on science and on scientists, the politicisation of every aspect of COVID."

She also argued that countries may be less willing to report a new pathogen because of financial and political incentives.

"So on my less optimistic side, I'm really concerned that in some aspects we're worse off than we were even four years ago," she adds.

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'Abysmal' COVID-19 vaccine coverage, monkeypox and mosquitoes - what health threats will 2024 bring? - Sky News

FILE PHOTO: Vials of the JYNNEOS smallpox and monkeypox vaccine are placed on a table during a clinic offered by the Pima County Department of Public Health at Abrams Public Health Center in Tucson, Arizona, U.S., Aug. 20, 2022. File photo by Rebecca Noble/Reuters

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) As Congo copes with its biggest outbreak of mpox, scientists warn discrimination against gay and bisexual men on the continent could make it worse.

In November, the World Health Organization reported that mpox, also known as monkeypox, was being spread via sex in Congo for the first time. That is a significant departure from previous flare-ups, where the virus mainly sickened people in contact with diseased animals.

WATCH: Central African health workers fighting mpox face lack of vaccines and medication

Mpox has been in parts of central and west Africa for decades, but it was not until 2022 that it was documented to spread via sex; most of the 91,00 people infected in approximately 100 countries that year were gay or bisexual men.

In Africa, unwillingness to report symptoms could drive the outbreak underground, said Dimie Ogoina, an infectious diseases specialist at the Niger Delta University in Nigeria.

"It could be that because homosexuality is prohibited by law in most parts of Africa, many people do not come forward if they think they have been infected with mpox," Ogoina said.

WHO officials said they identified the first sexually transmitted cases of the more severe type of mpox in Congo last spring, shortly after a resident of Belgium who "identified himself as a man who has sexual relations with other men" arrived in Kinshasa, the Congolese capital. The U.N. health agency said five other people who had sexual contact with the man later became infected with mpox.

"We have been underestimating the potential of sexual transmission of mpox in Africa for years," said Ogoina, who with his colleagues, first reported in 2019 that mpox might be spreading via sex.

Gaps in monitoring make it a challenge to estimate how many mpox cases are linked to sex, he said. Still, most cases of mpox in Nigeria involve people with no known contact with animals, he noted.

In Congo, there have been about 13,350 suspected cases of mpox, including 607 deaths through the end of November with only about 10% of cases confirmed by laboratories. But how many infections were spread through sex isn't clear. WHO said about 70% of cases are in children under 15.

During a recent trip to Congo to assess the outbreak, WHO officials found there was "no awareness" among health workers that mpox could be spread sexually, resulting in missed cases.

WHO said health authorities had confirmed sexual transmission of mpox "between male partners and simultaneously through heterosexual transmission" in different parts of the country.

Mpox typically causes symptoms including a fever, skin rash, lesions and muscle soreness for up to one month. It is spread via close contact and most people recover without needing medical treatment.

During the 2022 major international outbreak, mass vaccination programs were undertaken in some countries, including Canada, Britain and the U.S., and targeted those at highest risk gay and bisexual men. But experts say that's not likely to work in Africa for several reasons, including the stigma against gay communities.

"I don't think we'll see the same clamoring for vaccines in Africa that we saw in the West last year," said Dr. Boghuma Titanji, an assistant professor of medicine in infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.

She said that the gay and bisexual men most at risk of mpox might be fearful of coming forward in a broad immunization program. Countries should work on ways to give the shots if available in a way that wouldn't stigmatize them, she said.

Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyemba, general director of Congo's National Institute of Biomedical Research, said two provinces in Congo had reported clusters of mpox spread through sex, a concerning development.

There's no licensed vaccine in Congo, and it would be hard to get enough shots for any large-scale program, Muyemba said. The country is trying to get a Japanese mpox vaccine, but regulatory issues are complicating the situation, he said.

READ MORE: WHO selects 'mpox' as replacement for monkeypox, citing concerns of racism

Globally, only one vaccine has been authorized against mpox, made by Denmark's Bavarian Nordic. Supplies are very limited and even if they were available, they would have to be approved by the African countries using them or by WHO. To date, the vaccine has only been available in Congo through research.

Oyewale Tomori, a Nigerian virus expert who sits on several WHO advisory boards, said African governments probably have too many competing priorities to ask the U.N. health agency or donors for help securing vaccines.

"In Africa, mpox is most likely considered a low-priority nuisance," Tomori said.

He said stronger monitoring, laboratory networks and better availability of diagnostic supplies would be more helpful to the continent than vaccines.

Without greater efforts to stop the outbreaks in Africa, Ogoina predicted that mpox would continue to infect new populations, warning that the disease could also spark outbreaks in other countries, similar to the global emergency WHO declared last year.

"When the HIV pandemic started, it was among gay and bisexual men in the global north, and Africa thought it was not our problem," he said. "Before we knew it, it came to Africa, but we still thought heterosexual populations would be protected."

Women of reproductive age now account for more than 60% of new HIV infections in Africa.

"I worry the same thing will now happen with mpox," he said. "Unless we address these outbreaks in Africa, this virus will keep coming back."

Cheng reported from Toronto.

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Stigma against gay and bisexual men could worsen Congos largest mpox outbreak, experts warn - PBS NewsHour

Introduction to Mpox

Mpox, also known as Monkeypox, is a relatively rare disease caused by a virus that spreads through close personal contact. It is predominantly found in Africa but has also been detected in other parts of the world. The disease presents a range of symptoms in infected individuals, which may include a rash, fever, headache, muscle pain, low energy, and swollen glands. In some severe cases, mpox can lead to secondary bacterial infections and spread to vital organs including the lungs, eyes, brain, and heart. This article aims to provide informative insights into the symptoms, transmission, and vaccination for mpox, promoting public health awareness and preparedness.

People infected with the mpox virus may experience a wide range of symptoms or only a few. Some individuals may develop flu-like symptoms, rash, and sores, while others may experience fever, lymphadenopathy, headache, backache, and myalgia either before or after the rash appears, or not at all. It is important to seek medical attention if you develop a new or unexplained rash or other symptoms that may be associated with mpox. Most people recover fully within 2 to 4 weeks, although antiviral treatments developed for smallpox may be used to prevent and manage mpox infections.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently confirmed the first cases of mpox caused by the clade I monkeypox virus linked to sexual contact in an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The virus can be transmitted to humans from different wild animals, such as nonhuman primates and rodents, although its natural host reservoir remains unknown. Mpox can also spread through cuts, lesions, and contact with mucous membranes, as well as close contact with an infected person. As the virus is more contagious and causes more severe infections than the Clade II strain, the risk of mpox spreading to neighboring countries and worldwide appears to be significant.

Vaccines are available for both pre- and post-exposure vaccination against mpox. The World Health Organization advises mass vaccination only for those at risk. In the United States, the CDC recommends vaccination for people with risk factors, with two doses of the Jynneos vaccine. Additionally, specific groups of people are eligible to receive pre-exposure vaccine as a two-dose series, with at least 28 days between the first and second doses.

The DRC is currently experiencing a significant increase in the number of reported suspected cases of mpox. The first known cases of sexual transmission of the clade I virus were reported in a small cluster of 5 cases. Meanwhile, the global mpox outbreak, which started in May 2022, is ongoing. As a result, the CDC has issued a Travel Health Notice for travelers to the Congo to minimize contact with ill people, avoid wild animals, and refrain from eating or preparing wild game. The Congo has reported over 12,500 clinically diagnosed cases and nearly 600 deaths suspected to be related to the virus.

Mpox is a serious health concern that requires global attention and awareness. With the ongoing outbreak and the potential for international spread, its crucial to understand the symptoms, transmission methods, and available prevention measures. If you experience any symptoms or have been in contact with infected individuals or animals, it is highly advised that you seek medical attention immediately.

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Understanding Mpox: Symptoms, Transmission, and Vaccination - Medriva