News|Articles|August 18, 2024

Mpox: What You Need to Know

We have complied some of our news stories and interviews from the last week to offer information on the differences between clade I and clade 2 mpox, why WHO declaring the global emergency is significant, looking at mpox in the United States, and more.

Mpox and Concerns Around the Disease in the United States

Scott Bertani, who is the director of Advocacy of the National Coalition for LGBTQ Health, discusses what the new mpox health declarations mean to the US, which groups are high risk, and information about the vaccine to prevent the disease.

The Significance of WHO Declaring Mpox a Global Emergency

Mitch Wolfe, MD, former Chief Medical Officer of CDC, offers some insights on mpox including the benefits of declaring a global emergency, disease transmission, and considerations for both the US public and clinicians.


Mpox Outbreak: Public Health Emergency of Continental Security Due to Unprecedented Spread and Severity

The declaration was based on the outbreak's severity compared to past events and the differences between mpox Clade I and Clade II, which affect response strategies.

SIGA Technologies' Trial Results Benefits Mpox Treatment Despite Not Meeting Primary Endpoint

The impact of including patients with advanced disease and the role of comprehensive care in the PALM 007 clinical trial, which evaluated the antiviral tecovirimat for treating monkeypox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Sweden Reports Case of Mpox Clade I, First Case Outside Africa

The Public Health Agency of Sweden reported the individual sought care at Region Stockholm and has been diagnosed with mpox caused by clade I.

Mpox Study: PALM 007 Trial Shows Tecovirimat's Limited Effectiveness but Highlights Potential Benefits

Results reveal that the antiviral did not significantly improve lesion resolution in mpox patients compared to placebo, but it did report a lower mortality rate among participants than that seen in the broader DRC cases.

Africa CDC Director General: Mpox Outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security

This is the very first such declaration by the Africa CDC since its inception in 2017.

The WHO has also provided more information regarding common questions around the disease.


Related to this article

Ebola and the Ongoing Tale of US Failures
In mid-May, as the world was still grappling with an unexpected hantavirus outbreak aboard a tourism vessel, news broke of an Ebola outbreak in the Ituri Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo spanning at least 3 health zones, including Bunia, Rwampara, and Mongbwalu.
CDC Responds to Surge in Rabies Exposures
A "Clinician Outreach" from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in April anticipated an increase in rabies exposures, and the striking surge in case reports this summer prompted a recent health advisory alert from the federal agency.
New Diagnositics for Legionella Pneumonia May Streamline Care Continuum
Reported cases of Legionnaires’ disease have been on the rise for the past decade, and identifying Legionella bacteria requires specialized testing in the microbiology lab. Here is a clinical overview of Legionella bacteria, including required testing, treatment, and reporting to public health officials.
REMAP-CAP and the Tamiflu “Pre-Release”: A Set-Up for Disaster
Preliminary REMAP-CAP data suggesting oseltamivir may increase mortality in critically ill ICU influenza patients has sparked polarized reactions, but clinicians should await the full peer-reviewed manuscript before drawing broad conclusions, since the signal comes from a narrow, severely ill population and may reflect a therapeutic window effect rather than a blanket lack of efficacy.