July 21, 2022

expert reaction to study of monkeypox cases in 16 countries

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) looks at monkeypox virus infection in humans across 16 countries.

Dr Boghuma Kabisen Titanji, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, said:

“This large case series including cases from 16 countries across 43 sites confirms patterns that have been reported by others in the ongoing global outbreak of monkeypox in newly affected countries. The cases remain mostly in gay/bisexual and other men who have sex with men and are strongly linked to sexual networks. Strikingly 29% of cases also had concomitant infection with other sexually transmitted infections highlighting the importance of integrating approaches for controlling the ongoing monkeypox outbreak with existing sexual health interventions. Although no deaths were reported in this case series, 13% of cases were hospitalised with complications, an important reminder that even though most cases are of monkeypox are self-resolving the infection can still present with severe clinical manifestations requiring specialized care. This report contributes to expanding our understand of the clinical presentations of monkeypox in newly affected countries and informs on approaches to address the outbreak but also highlights research gaps which need to be urgently addressed such as; the impact of HIV and other immuno-compromising conditions on the clinical course of monkeypox, the implications of the detection of monkeypox DNA in semen for maintaining transmission networks, the role of antiviral therapy in the clinical management of mild to severe presentations of the infection and the role of vaccination as post-exposure prophylaxis etc.”

‘Monkeypox Virus Infection in Humans across 16 Countries — April–June 2022’ by John P. Thornhill et al. was published in NEJM at 22:00 UK time on Thursday 21 July.

Declared interests

Dr Boghuma Kabisen Titanji: “I have no conflicts to declare.”