Officials from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that they plan to distribute monkeypox vaccines and medical treatments to close contacts of infected people. The announcement was made after five confirmed and probable cases were reported in the country.
In terms of supply, the US has about a thousand doses of the JYNNEOS compound, a vaccine approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for smallpox and monkeypox "and is expected to increase that level rapidly in the coming weeks as the company provides us with more doses," explained Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of the Division of Pathogens and Pathologies of Serious Consequences.
There are also nearly 100 million doses of a previous generation vaccine called ACAM2000. Both use live viruses, but only JYNNEOS suppresses the virus’s ability to replicate , making it the safer option, according to McQuiston.
According to the FDA, the JYNNEOS vaccine is indicated for individuals 18 years of age and older who are at high risk for smallpox and monkeypox.
Epidemiological situation in the USA
There is one confirmed infection in Massachusetts, and four other probable cases of people infected with orthopoxvirus - from the same family to which monkeypox belongs - according to CDC officials stated at a press conference.
“All suspected cases are presumed to be monkeypox, and are in the process of confirmation at CDC headquarters,” McQuiston said. One of the cases with orthopoxvirus is in New York, another in Florida and the remaining two in Utah. They are all men.
The genetic sequence of the case in Massachusetts matches that of a patient in Portugal and belongs to a strain from West Africa, the less aggressive of the two existing strains of monkeypox.
"Right now we hope to maximize the distribution of vaccines to those who we know can benefit from them," McQuiston said, according to the AFP agency . That is, "to people who have had contact with a monkeypox patient, health care workers, their closest contacts, and in particular those who may be at high risk of severe disease."
People who are immunocompromised or have particular skin conditions, including eczema, are at high risk, added John Brooks, a medical epidemiologist.
Transmission of monkeypox occurs through close and sustained contact with someone who has an active skin rash, or through respiratory droplets from someone with lesions of the disease in their mouth and who is around other people for a considerable time. .
The virus can cause skin rashes, with lesions occurring in certain parts of the body, or spread more generally. In some cases, in early stages, a rash may start on the genitals or perianal area.
While scientists are concerned that the growing number of cases around the world could potentially indicate a new type of transmission, McQuiston said there is currently no evidence to support that theory.
Instead, the rising number of cases could be related to some specific contagion events, such as the recent massive parties in Europe.
CDC is also developing treatment guidance to allow deployment of the antivirals tecovirimat and brincidofovir, both licensed for the treatment of smallpox.
