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American Journal of Clinical Dermatology Jul 2023The current 2022 mpox (monkeypox) outbreak has been officially recognized as a public health emergency. The mpox clinical symptoms include high fever, fatigue, chills,... (Review)
Review
The current 2022 mpox (monkeypox) outbreak has been officially recognized as a public health emergency. The mpox clinical symptoms include high fever, fatigue, chills, headache, swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches, and a disseminated painful rash. However, recent cases of mpox have shown a shift in clinical symptoms, with anogenital skin lesions emerging as the predominant feature. Due to the predominant skin manifestations of mpox, dermatologists could be crucial in detecting new mpox cases and educating frontline healthcare professionals about mpox. The mpox virus is continuously evolving and has several variants. Genome sequencing has revealed that the Clade IIb variant is responsible for the 2022 mpox outbreak. Mpox spread may occur through animal-to-human and human-to-human transmission; however, unlike coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), long-range airborne transmission has not been reported. Healthcare professionals are at higher risk of becoming infected since they are usually in close contact with both the patients and potentially contaminated fomites (e.g., examination table, gowns, gloves). Both public and healthcare professionals should take preventive and avoidance measures to limit the spread. Mpox is usually self-limiting and may require only symptomatic treatment; however, it may cause severe complications in special populations such as immunocompromised individuals. For severe infection, clinicians may consider antiviral drugs (off-label), tecovirimat and brincidofovir, originally approved for smallpox treatment. Two smallpox vaccines, ACAM2000 and JYNNEOS, can be used as pre-exposure prophylaxis against mpox. JYNNEOS, which carries approval for mpox use, has less adverse effect potential than ACAM2000, and may also be used as post-exposure prophylaxis, preferably within 4 days of exposure.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Diagnosis, Differential; Mpox (monkeypox); COVID-19; Dermatologists; Smallpox; COVID-19 Testing
PubMed: 37106278
DOI: 10.1007/s40257-023-00778-4 -
Scientific Reports Sep 2023Monkeypox viral infection is an emerging threat and a major concern for the human population. The lack of drug molecules to treat this disease may worsen the problem....
Monkeypox viral infection is an emerging threat and a major concern for the human population. The lack of drug molecules to treat this disease may worsen the problem. Identifying potential drug targets can significantly improve the process of developing potent drug molecules for treating monkeypox. The proteins responsible for viral replication are attractive drug targets. Identifying potential inhibitors from known drug molecules that target these proteins can be key to finding a cure for monkeypox. In this work, two viral proteins, DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (DdRp) and viral core cysteine proteinase, were considered as potential drug targets. Sixteen antibiotic drugs from the tetracycline class were screened against both viral proteins through high-throughput virtual screening. These tetracycline class of antibiotic drugs have the ability to inhibit bacterial protein synthesis, which makes these antibiotics drugs a prominent candidate for drug repurposing. Based on the screening result obtained against DdRp, top two compounds, namely Tigecycline and Eravacycline with docking scores of - 8.88 and - 7.87 kcal/mol, respectively, were selected for further analysis. Omadacycline and minocycline, with docking scores of - 10.60 and - 7.51 kcal/mol, are the top two compounds obtained after screening proteinase with the drug library. These compounds, along with reference compounds GTP for DdRp and tecovirimat for proteinase, were used to form protein-ligand complexes, followed by their evaluation through a 300 ns molecular dynamic simulation. The MM/GBSA binding free energy calculation and principal components analysis of these selected complexes were also conducted for understanding the dynamic stability and binding affinity of these compounds with respective target proteins. Overall, this study demonstrates the repurposing of tetracycline-derived drugs as a therapeutic solution for monkeypox viral infection.
Topics: Humans; Monkeypox virus; Mpox (monkeypox); Drug Repositioning; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Tetracycline; Minocycline; Drug Discovery; Peptide Hydrolases
PubMed: 37666979
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41820-z -
Journal of Infection and Public Health Jul 2024Mpox is a zoonotic disease that became epidemic in multiple countries in 2022. There is a lack of published systematic reviews on natural animal infection due to Mpox.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Mpox is a zoonotic disease that became epidemic in multiple countries in 2022. There is a lack of published systematic reviews on natural animal infection due to Mpox. We performed a systematic literature review with meta-analysis to assess animal Mpox prevalence. We performed a random-effects model meta-analysis to calculate the pooled prevalence and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) for prevalence studies. After the screening, 15 reports were selected for full-text assessment and included in qualitative and quantitative analyses. Ten reports assessed Mpox infection by molecular or serological tests (n = 2680), yielding a pooled prevalence of 16.0% (95%CI: 3.0-29.0%) for non-human primates; 8.0% (95%CI: 4.0-12.0%) for rodents and 1.0% (95%CI: 0.0-3.0%) for shrews. Further studies in other animals are required to define the extent and importance of natural infection due to Mpox. These findings have implications for public human and animal health. OneHealth approach is critical for prevention and control.
Topics: Animals; Zoonoses; Prevalence; Mpox (monkeypox); Rodentia; Humans; Shrews; Primates
PubMed: 38820901
DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2024.04.015 -
Journal of Microbiology and... Aug 2023Monkeypox (Mpox) virus, a member of the family, causes a severe illness similar to smallpox, which is characterized by symptoms such as high fever, rash, and pustules.... (Review)
Review
Monkeypox (Mpox) virus, a member of the family, causes a severe illness similar to smallpox, which is characterized by symptoms such as high fever, rash, and pustules. Human-to-human transmission cases have been reported but remained low since the first recorded case of human infection occurred in the Congo in 1970. Recently, Mpox has re-emerged, leading to an alarming surge in infections worldwide since 2022, originating in the United Kingdom. Consequently, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the '2022-23 Mpox outbreak'. Currently, no specific therapy or vaccine is available for Mpox. Therefore, patients infected with Mpox are treated using conventional therapies developed for smallpox. However, the vaccines developed for smallpox have demonstrated only partial efficacy against Mpox, allowing viral transmission among humans. In this review, we discuss the current epidemiology of the ongoing Mpox outbreak and provide an update on the progress made in diagnosis, treatment, and development of vaccines for Mpox.
Topics: Humans; Mpox (monkeypox); Smallpox; Monkeypox virus; Vaccines; Disease Outbreaks
PubMed: 37519276
DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2306.06033 -
Nature Communications Dec 2023The first local mpox outbreak in Guangdong Province, China occurred in June 2023. However, epidemiological data have failed to quickly identify the source and...
The first local mpox outbreak in Guangdong Province, China occurred in June 2023. However, epidemiological data have failed to quickly identify the source and transmission of the outbreak. Here, phylogeny and molecular evolution of 10 monkeypox virus (MPXV) genome sequences from the Guangdong outbreak were characterized, revealing local silent transmissions that may have occurred in Guangdong whose mpox outbreaks suggested a molecular epidemiological correlation with Portugal and several regions of China during the same period. The lineage IIb C.1, which includes all 10 MPXV from Guangdong, shows consistent temporal continuity in both phylogenetic characteristics and unique molecular evolutionary mutation spectrum, reflected in the continuous increase of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and shared mutations over time. Compared with the Japan MPXV, the Guangdong MPXV showed higher genomic nucleotide differences and separated 14 shared mutations from the B.1 lineage, comprising 6 non-synonymous mutations in genes linked to host regulation, virus infection, and virus life cycle. The unique mutation spectrum with temporal continuity in IIb C.1, related to apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing catalytic polypeptide-like 3, promotes rapid viral evolution and diversification. The findings contribute to understanding the ongoing mpox outbreak in China and offer insights for developing joint prevention and control strategies.
Topics: Humans; Phylogeny; Monkeypox virus; Mpox (monkeypox); Disease Outbreaks; Evolution, Molecular
PubMed: 38086870
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44092-3 -
Viruses Jul 2023An enveloped double-stranded DNA monkeypox virus (MPXV) is a causative agent of the zoonotic viral disease, human monkeypox (HMPX). MPXV belongs to the genus... (Review)
Review
An enveloped double-stranded DNA monkeypox virus (MPXV) is a causative agent of the zoonotic viral disease, human monkeypox (HMPX). MPXV belongs to the genus Orthopoxviridae, a family of notorious smallpox viruses, and so it shares similar clinical pathophysiological features. The recent multicountry HMPX outbreak (May 2022 onwards) is recognized as an emerging global public health emergency by the World Health Organization, shunting its endemic status as opined over the past few decades. Re-emergence of HMPX raises concern to reassess the present clinical strategy and therapeutics as its outbreak evolves further. Keeping a check on these developments, here we provide insights into the HMPX epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical representation. Weighing on its early prevention, we reviewed the strategies that are being enrolled for HMPX diagnosis. In the line of expanded MPXV prevalence, we further reviewed its clinical management and the diverse employed preventive/therapeutic strategies, including vaccines (JYNNEOS, ACAM2000, VIGIV) and antiviral drugs/inhibitors (Tecovirimat, Cidofovir, Brincidofovir). Taken together, with a revised perspective of HMPX re-emergence, the present report summarizes new knowledge on its prevalence, pathology, and prevention strategies.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Mpox (monkeypox); Monkeypox virus; Disease Outbreaks; Zoonoses
PubMed: 37515218
DOI: 10.3390/v15071533 -
Archives of Pathology & Laboratory... Jul 2023Before its eradication, the smallpox virus was a significant cause of poor obstetric outcomes, including maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The mpox (monkeypox)...
CONTEXT.—
Before its eradication, the smallpox virus was a significant cause of poor obstetric outcomes, including maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The mpox (monkeypox) virus is now the most pathogenic member of the Orthopoxvirus genus infecting humans. The 2022 global mpox outbreak has focused attention on its potential effects during pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE.—
To understand the comparative effects of different poxvirus infections on pregnancy, including mpox virus, variola virus, vaccinia virus, and cowpox virus. The impact on the pregnant individual, fetus, and placenta will be examined, with particular attention to the occurrence of intrauterine vertical transmission and congenital infection.
DATA SOURCES.—
The data are obtained from the authors' cases and from various published sources, including early historical information and contemporary publications.
CONCLUSIONS.—
Smallpox caused maternal and perinatal death, with numerous cases reported of intrauterine transmission. In endemic African countries, mpox has also affected pregnant individuals, with up to a 75% perinatal case fatality rate. Since the start of the 2022 mpox outbreak, increasing numbers of pregnant women have been infected with the virus. A detailed description is given of the congenital mpox syndrome in a stillborn fetus, resulting from maternal-fetal transmission and placental infection, and the potential mechanisms of intrauterine infection are discussed. Other poxviruses, notably vaccinia virus and, in 1 case, cowpox virus, can also cause perinatal infection. Based on the historical evidence of poxvirus infections, mpox remains a threat to the pregnant population, and it can be expected that additional cases will occur in the future.
Topics: Infant, Newborn; Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Monkeypox virus; Mpox (monkeypox); Placenta; Orthopoxvirus; Variola virus; Poxviridae Infections; Vaccinia virus
PubMed: 36857117
DOI: 10.5858/arpa.2022-0520-SA -
Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia 2023
Topics: Humans; Mpox (monkeypox); Skin Diseases
PubMed: 37225625
DOI: 10.1016/j.abd.2023.04.001 -
Andes Pediatrica : Revista Chilena de... Apr 2024Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a common viral infection in children, immunocompromised, and sexually active adults. Its usual clinical presentation is 2-5 mm, whitish or... (Review)
Review
Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a common viral infection in children, immunocompromised, and sexually active adults. Its usual clinical presentation is 2-5 mm, whitish or skin-colored papules, with a shiny surface and central umbilication, generally clustered and randomly distributed over the skin surface. Dermoscopy reveals yellowish-white polylobulated structures with peripheral telangiectasia. Diagnosis is usually clinical supported by dermoscopy. However, in some cases, inflammatory manifestations can be associated with this infection and can mimic other dermatological conditions, making the diagnosis difficult and leading to unnecessary treatments. The objective of this article is to describe the main skin reactions associated with MC infection in order to provide a diagnostic and initial management tool for clinicians dealing with these conditions. Reported manifestations include the BOTE sign, perilesional eczema, Gianotti-Crosti syndrome-like reaction, ID reaction, erythema annulare centrifugum, erythema multiforme, folliculitis, white halo, and atypical manifestations (giant, disseminated, necrotic, polypoidal, and nodular lesions, pseudocysts, abscesses). In pediatric patients with the clinical manifestations described above, infection by molluscum contagiosum pox virus should be considered among the differential diagnoses, and referral to a dermatologist should be made in selected cases.
Topics: Humans; Molluscum Contagiosum; Child; Diagnosis, Differential; Dermoscopy; Skin Diseases
PubMed: 38801360
DOI: 10.32641/andespediatr.v95i2.5034 -
Nature Communications Oct 2023The recent monkeypox virus (MPXV) outbreak was of global concern and has mainly affected gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). Here we assess...
The recent monkeypox virus (MPXV) outbreak was of global concern and has mainly affected gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). Here we assess prevalence of MPXV in high-risk populations of GBMSM, trans women (TW) and non-binary people without symptoms or with unrecognized monkeypox (Mpox) symptoms, using a self-sampling strategy. Anal and pharyngeal swabs are tested by MPXV real-time PCR and positive samples are tested for cytopathic effect (CPE) in cell culture. 113 individuals participated in the study, 89 (78.76%) were cis men, 17 (15.04%) were TW. The median age was 35.0 years (IQR: 30.0-43.0), 96 (85.02%) individuals were gay or bisexual and 72 (63.72%) were migrants. Seven participants were MPXV positive (6.19% (95% CI: 1.75%-10.64%)). Five tested positive in pharyngeal swabs, one in anal swab and one in both. Six did not present symptoms recognized as MPXV infection. Three samples were positive for CPE, and showed anti-vaccinia pAb staining by FACS and confocal microscopy. This suggests that unrecognized Mpox cases can shed infectious virus. Restricting testing to individuals reporting Mpox symptoms may not be sufficient to contain outbreaks.
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; Adult; Spain; Homosexuality, Male; Mpox (monkeypox); Monkeypox virus; Sexual and Gender Minorities
PubMed: 37783731
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40490-9