/ en Sat, 26 Apr 2025 12:07:06 -0500 Mon, 18 Nov 24 16:03:04 -0600 /news/headline/2024-11-18-california-confirms-first-known-us-case-deadlier-mpox-strain <p>The California Department of Public Health Saturday <a href="https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR24-036.aspx">reported</a> the first known case of clade I mpox in the U.S. to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clade I is a more severe strain of the infection than clade II, the strain of mpox that has been circulating in the U.S. since 2022. The infected individual is isolating at home and risk to the public remains low, both agencies said. <br><br>The CDC <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/s1116-california-first-clade.html">said</a> that the individual recently traveled from East Africa, where clade I has been prevalent. The World Health Organization Aug. 14 <a href="/news/headline/2024-08-15-who-declares-global-health-emergency-latest-mpox-outbreak">declared</a> a global health emergency due to an outbreak of clade I in the eastern and central African regions. </p> Mon, 18 Nov 2024 16:03:04 -0600 Monkeypox /news/headline/2024-08-15-who-declares-global-health-emergency-latest-mpox-outbreak <p>The World Health Organization Aug. 14 declared a <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/14-08-2024-who-director-general-declares-mpox-outbreak-a-public-health-emergency-of-international-concern">global health emergency</a> due to the recent mpox outbreak in Africa, the second mpox declaration in two years. The WHO said the emergence of a deadlier strain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, clade 1b, spread rapidly within the past year and has been detected in four neighboring countries that have not reported mpox cases before: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. More than 100 laboratory-confirmed cases of the new strain have been reported in those countries, and experts believe the true total is higher due to a large number of cases that have not been tested. The WHO is working with countries and vaccine manufacturers on potential mpox vaccine donations and facilitating access to vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics and other tools.  <br><br>In its <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2024/08/14/united-states-governments-response-clade-i-mpox-outbreak-democratic-republic-congo-other-countries-region.html">response</a> to the WHO’s declaration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that “the risk to the general public in the United States from clade I mpox circulating in the DRC is very low, and there are no known cases in the United States at this time. Due to efforts over the last nine months, the United States is well prepared to rapidly detect, contain, and manage clade I cases should they be identified domestically.” Further, HHS “continue[s] to encourage those at high risk to get vaccinated with the JYNNEOS mpox vaccine, which has been demonstrated to be safe and highly effective at preventing severe disease from mpox.”</p> Thu, 15 Aug 2024 15:02:09 -0500 Monkeypox /news/headline/2023-05-18-cdc-studies-reinforce-effectiveness-mpox-vaccination-people-risk <p>As summer Pride parades and other large gatherings approach, Americans at high risk for mpox (monkeypox) exposure should ensure they are fully vaccinated with the JYNNEOS vaccine as recommended, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised, pointing to three new studies supporting the vaccine’s effectiveness against the virus.</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2215201?query=featured_home">study</a> using nationwide electronic health record data published today in the New England Journal of Medicine found a two-dose series of the vaccine was 66% effective at preventing medically attended mpox disease among adults, while two smaller studies found two doses were <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7220a3.htm?s_cid=mm7220a3_w">86%</a> and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7220a4.htm?s_cid=mm7220a4_w">88%</a> effective, respectively.</p> <p>The CDC continues to investigate an mpox outbreak in the Chicago area, where most of the 21 men infected to date had received at least one dose of vaccine. All of the patients had mild symptoms, officials said. For more information and the latest recommendations for clinicians, see this week’s <a href="https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2023/han00490.asp">CDC advisory</a>. </p> Thu, 18 May 2023 16:04:00 -0500 Monkeypox /news/headline/2023-03-20-fda-authorizes-new-monkeypox-point-care-test-updates-covid-19-medical-device-shortages <p>The Food and Drug Administration Friday authorized for <a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-roundup-march-17-2023">emergency use</a> a molecular test to detect mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) at the point of care in lesion swab specimens from individuals whose health care provider suspects they have the virus. <br />  <br /> In other news, FDA last week <a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/medical-device-shortages-during-covid-19-public-health-emergency">updated</a> its list of medical device shortages and discontinued medical devices during the COVID-19 public health emergency.</p> Mon, 20 Mar 2023 14:19:52 -0500 Monkeypox /news/headline/2023-02-13-fda-authorizes-monkeypox-test-issues-update-recalled-ventilators <p>The Food and Drug Administration Friday authorized for emergency <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/165317/download">use</a> a real-time polymerase chain reaction test to detect mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) in lesion swab specimens from individuals whose health care provider suspects they have the virus. Only laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 to perform high or moderate complexity tests may perform the test. For more, see the <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/165319/download">fact sheet for health care providers</a>.</p> <p>In other news, FDA last week released an <a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safety-communications/update-certain-philips-respironics-ventilators-bipap-machines-and-cpap-machines-recalled-due#mdr">update</a> on medical device reports associated with certain Philips Respironics ventilators, BiPAP machines, and CPAP machines recalled in June 2021, which include 346 deaths reportedly associated with the breakdown or suspected breakdown of polyester-based polyurethane foam used in the devices.</p> Mon, 13 Feb 2023 16:04:00 -0600 Monkeypox /news/headline/2022-12-09-cdc-vaccine-found-safe-effective-against-mpox-during-outbreak <p>In a study of men under age 50 who were eligible to receive the JYNNEOS vaccine to prevent monkeypox (mpox) during the U.S. outbreak this year, unvaccinated men were 10 times more likely to get the virus than men who received the two-dose vaccine, and seven times more likely to get it than men who received only one vaccine dose, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7149a5.htm?s_cid=mm7149a5_w">reported</a> yesterday. A <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7149a4.htm?s_cid=mm7149a4_w">second study</a>  found no major vaccine safety concerns after nearly 1 million JYNNEOS doses were administered in the U.S. during the outbreak, CDC said. The agency recommends the vaccine for people at risk for the virus, and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/s1208-mpox-vaccine.html">encourages</a> everyone eligible to receive the complete two-dose series for best protection.</p> Fri, 09 Dec 2022 14:29:17 -0600 Monkeypox /news/headline/2022-11-28-who-recommends-new-name-monkeypox <p>The World Health Organization today <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/28-11-2022-who-recommends-new-name-for-monkeypox-disease">recommended </a>a new name for monkeypox that is intended to mitigate a rise in related racist and stigmatizing language associated with the ailment. The WHO’s newly recommended preferred term is “mpox.” The organization recommends a one-year transition period to mitigate confusion that could be caused by the change and allow for ICD and publication updates. The Biden administration voiced its support for the change, <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/11/28/biden-harris-administration-supports-the-world-health-organization-renaming-of-monkeypox-to-mpox.html">stating</a>, “We welcome the change by the World Health Organization. We must do all we can to break down barriers to public health, and reducing stigma associated with disease is one critical step in our work to end mpox.”  </p> Mon, 28 Nov 2022 15:10:24 -0600 Monkeypox /news/headline/2022-11-03-hhs-renews-monkeypox-public-health-emergency-90-days <p>The Department of Health and Human Services today <a href="https://aspr.hhs.gov/legal/PHE/Pages/mpx-renewal-2Nov2022.aspx" target="_blank">renewed</a> the nation’s monkeypox public health emergency declaration for another 90 days. When the PHE was <a href="/news/headline/2022-08-04-hhs-declares-us-monkeypox-outbreak-public-health-emergency" target="_blank">announced</a> in August, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky, M.D., said the declaration would provide access to resources and flexibilities, expedite state data sharing, and provide more detailed data on testing and hospitalizations. CDC yesterday reported over 28,000 U.S. monkeypox cases since the first confirmed case May 18.</p> Thu, 03 Nov 2022 15:43:19 -0500 Monkeypox /news/headline/2022-10-26-cdc-report-highlights-potential-severe-monkeypox-untreated-hiv-patients <p>As the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/mpx-trends.html" target="_blank">monkeypox outbreak slows</a> in the U.S., a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7144e1.htm?s_cid=mm7144e1_w" target="_blank">new report</a> from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights devastating outcomes of monkeypox for people with severely weakened immune systems, particularly those with untreated HIV. The report examines 57 patients hospitalized with severe monkeypox since early August, including 12 who died. Most of the patients (82%) had HIV infection and four were receiving antiretroviral therapy before their monkeypox diagnosis.</p> <p>“Monkeypox and HIV have collided with tragic effects,” said CDC Monkeypox Incident Commander Jonathan Mermin, M.D. “Today’s report reminds all of us that access to monkeypox and HIV prevention and treatment matters—for people’s lives and for public health.” </p> <p>CDC <a href="/news/headline/2022-09-30-cdc-recommends-testing-all-sexually-active-monkeypox-patients-hiv" target="_blank">recommends</a> clinicians test all sexually active patients with monkeypox symptoms for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections due to the risk for severe monkeypox in individuals with HIV and other immunocompromising conditions, and consider early treatment with the antiviral drug tecovirimat for immunocompromised patients diagnosed with monkeypox.</p> Wed, 26 Oct 2022 14:36:02 -0500 Monkeypox /news/headline/2022-10-17-cdc-reports-first-us-monkeypox-case-health-care-worker <p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7142e2.htm?s_cid=mm7142e2_w" target="_blank">reported the first U.S. monkeypox case in a health care worker</a> since the outbreak began in May. The report describes how an emergency department nurse in Florida was exposed to the virus through a needlestick, and recommends approaches to preventing infections in health care workers. CDC also <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7142e1.htm?s_cid=mm7142e1_w" target="_blank">released a report describing five patients who acquired ocular monkeypox</a>, a rare but sight-threatening condition, including four who were hospitalized. The report recommends health care providers advise monkeypox patients to practice hand hygiene and avoid touching their eyes, and consider urgent ophthalmologic evaluation and monkeypox-directed treatment for patients with ocular signs and symptoms.</p> Mon, 17 Oct 2022 14:07:48 -0500 Monkeypox