-
Clinical Microbiology and Infection :... Jul 2024Smallpox was a major cause of human mortality until its eradication, but the threat of orthopox viruses has not disappeared. Since the eradication of smallpox and the... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Smallpox was a major cause of human mortality until its eradication, but the threat of orthopox viruses has not disappeared. Since the eradication of smallpox and the cessation of the related vaccination campaigns, the threat has been growing, as evidenced by the currently ongoing worldwide Mpox outbreak. In addition to threats of an evolving Mpox, we must also be aware of a myriad of other threats that remain. Many countries still lack biosecurity regulations reflecting the recent technological advances, and the threat of bioterrorism remains ever present. Reconstruction of smallpox is a distinct possibility, as are other scenarios whereby other orthopox viruses may be made more fit for transmission in humans.
OBJECTIVES
To outline and discuss potential biosafety and biosecurity threats posed by orthopox viruses.
SOURCES
Published scientific literature, news articles, and international agreements.
CONTENT AND IMPLICATIONS
It would be wise to take steps to mitigate these threats now. Vaccination campaigns should be considered in areas with frequent orthopox outbreaks, and more efforts must be made to put a final end to the Mpox outbreak. In many countries, national biosafety and biosecurity regulations may need to be revised and strengthened to better reflect the threats posed by new technologies, including controls on synthesis of smallpox sequences. Furthermore, more international cooperation and aid is needed. The present global Mpox outbreak could likely have been prevented had areas where Mpox is endemic not been neglected. Future outbreaks could be much worse.
Topics: Humans; Orthopoxvirus; Disease Outbreaks; Poxviridae Infections; Smallpox; Animals; Containment of Biohazards; Bioterrorism; Vaccination
PubMed: 38387500
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2024.02.011 -
Microbial Pathogenesis Jul 2023The monkeypox virus (MPOX) is an uncommon zoonotic illness brought on by an orthopoxvirus (OPXV). MPOX can occur with symptoms similar to smallpox. Since April 25, 2023,... (Review)
Review
The monkeypox virus (MPOX) is an uncommon zoonotic illness brought on by an orthopoxvirus (OPXV). MPOX can occur with symptoms similar to smallpox. Since April 25, 2023, 110 nations have reported 87,113 confirmed cases and 111 fatalities. Moreover, the outspread prevalence of MPOX in Africa and a current outbreak of MPOX in the U.S. have made it clear that naturally occurring zoonotic OPXV infections remain a public health concern. Existing vaccines, though they provide cross-protection to MPOX, are not specific for the causative virus, and their effectiveness in the light of the current multi-country outbreak is still to be verified. Furthermore, as a sequel of the eradication and cessation of smallpox vaccination for four decades, MPOX found a possibility to re-emerge, but with distinct characteristics. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggested that nations use affordable MPOX vaccines within a framework of coordinated clinical effectiveness and safety evaluations. Vaccines administered in the smallpox control program and conferred immunity against MPOX. Currently, vaccines approved by WHO for use against MPOX are replicating (ACAM2000), low replicating (LC16m8), and non-replicating (MVA-BN). Although vaccines are accessible, investigations have demonstrated that smallpox vaccination is approximately 85% efficient in inhibiting MPOX. In addition, developing new vaccine methods against MPOX can help prevent this infection. To recognize the most efficient vaccine, it is essential to assess effects, including reactogenicity, safety, cytotoxicity effect, and vaccine-associated side effects, especially for high-risk and vulnerable people. Recently, several orthopoxvirus vaccines have been produced and are being evaluated. Hence, this review aims to provide an overview of the efforts dedicated to several types of vaccine candidates with different strategies for MPOX, including inactivated, live-attenuated, virus-like particles (VLPs), recombinant protein, nucleic acid, and nanoparticle-based vaccines, which are being developed and launched.
Topics: Humans; Mpox (monkeypox); Smallpox; Vaccinia virus; Vaccination; Vaccine Development
PubMed: 37201635
DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106156 -
Zhongguo Dang Dai Er Ke Za Zhi =...The guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of monkeypox (2022 edition) issued by National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China introduces the key...
The guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of monkeypox (2022 edition) issued by National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China introduces the key knowledge of the diagnosis and treatment of human monkeypox (HMPX) and does not systematically introduce the sampling methods and requirements of specimens for HMPX etiology testing and the discrepancy in diagnostic criteria between China and overseas. However, the doctors who are not engaged in dermatology lack understanding of the sampling methods and requirements of specimens for laboratory diagnosis of HMPX, and there are few relevant references available. This article collects the information on the diagnosis and treatment of HMPX, so as to provide a reference for learning, understanding, and application of this guideline.
Topics: China; Humans; Mpox (monkeypox)
PubMed: 36111711
DOI: 10.7499/j.issn.1008-8830.2207088 -
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Oct 2022The monkeypox virus outbreak continues to evolve worldwide. While most people recover without treatment, primary care clinicians may be the first point of contact for... (Review)
Review
The monkeypox virus outbreak continues to evolve worldwide. While most people recover without treatment, primary care clinicians may be the first point of contact for those affected. Prompt assessment, diagnosis, isolation, treatment and prophylaxis will reduce the risk of community transmission. The current public health advice is to test suspected cases and monitor close contacts. If individuals test positive for the monkeypox virus, self-isolation at home is recommended for most people with mild symptoms. If patients report severe symptoms, referral and admission to hospital will be needed, where further interventions such as antivirals may be administered. The infection can spread through close contact; therefore, healthcare professionals must take precautions, such as using appropriate personal protective equipment for possible or probable cases.
Topics: Humans; Mpox (monkeypox); Disease Outbreaks; Personal Protective Equipment; Health Personnel; Primary Health Care
PubMed: 36342045
DOI: 10.1177/01410768221131914 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Feb 2023To investigate animal reservoirs of monkeypox virus in Nigeria, we sampled 240 rodents during 2018-2019. Molecular (real-time PCR) and serologic (IgM) evidence indicated...
To investigate animal reservoirs of monkeypox virus in Nigeria, we sampled 240 rodents during 2018-2019. Molecular (real-time PCR) and serologic (IgM) evidence indicated orthopoxvirus infections, but presence of monkeypox virus was not confirmed. These results can be used to develop public health interventions to reduce human infection with orthopoxviruses.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Mpox (monkeypox); Rodentia; Nigeria; Poxviridae Infections; Monkeypox virus; Orthopoxvirus
PubMed: 36692495
DOI: 10.3201/eid2902.221411 -
Viruses Sep 2022(CPXV; genus ; family ) is the causative agent of cowpox, a self-limiting zoonotic infection. CPXV is endemic in Eurasia, and human CPXV infections are associated with...
(CPXV; genus ; family ) is the causative agent of cowpox, a self-limiting zoonotic infection. CPXV is endemic in Eurasia, and human CPXV infections are associated with exposure to infected animals. In the Fennoscandian region, five CPXVs isolated from cats and humans were collected and used in this study. We report the complete sequence of their genomes, which ranged in size from 220-222 kbp, containing between 215 and 219 open reading frames. The phylogenetic analysis of 87 orthopoxvirus strains, including the Fennoscandian CPXV isolates, confirmed the division of CPXV strains into at least five distinct major clusters (CPXV-like 1, CPXV-like 2, VACV-like, VARV-like and ECTV-Abatino-like) and can be further divided into eighteen sub-species based on the genetic and patristic distances. Bayesian time-scaled evolutionary history of CPXV was reconstructed employing concatenated 62 non-recombinant conserved genes of 55 CPXV. The CPXV evolution rate was calculated to be 1.65 × 10 substitution/site/year. Our findings confirmed that CPXV is not a single species but a polyphyletic assemblage of several species and thus, a reclassification is warranted.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Cowpox virus; Phylogeny; Bayes Theorem; Cowpox; Orthopoxvirus; Genomics
PubMed: 36298689
DOI: 10.3390/v14102134 -
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology : JDD Jan 2023Monkeypox has infected over 18,000 individuals in the United States since the first reported case on May 17, 2022.1 Monkeypox is a variola poxvirus that is related to...
Monkeypox has infected over 18,000 individuals in the United States since the first reported case on May 17, 2022.1 Monkeypox is a variola poxvirus that is related to smallpox, but monkeypox symptoms (fever, painful vesicular or pustular rash, and lymphadenopathy) are milder and fatalities are rare.
Topics: Humans; United States; Mpox (monkeypox); Smallpox Vaccine; Dermatologists; Variola virus; Exanthema
PubMed: 36607751
DOI: No ID Found -
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 -
Actas Dermo-sifiliograficas Jan 2023
Topics: Humans; Mpox (monkeypox); Disease Outbreaks
PubMed: 36067827
DOI: 10.1016/j.ad.2022.07.022 -
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