Issue 1771: August 21, 2024

In the August 14 issue, Emerging Infectious Diseases published One Health Investigation into Mpox and Pets, United States. The abstract appears below.

Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is zoonotic and capable of infecting many mammal species. However, whether common companion animals are susceptible to MPXV infection is unclear. During July 2022–March 2023, we collected animal and environmental swab samples within homes of confirmed human mpox case-patients and tested for MPXV and human DNA by PCR. We also used ELISA for orthopoxvirus antibody detection. . . . Despite the high likelihood for exposure, however, we found no indications that companion animals were infected with MPXV.

On August 14, WHO's Director-General declared the surge in mpox cases in several African countries to be a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). The emergence of the new clade 1b variant spread rapidly in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and has been reported in several neighboring countries, with the potential to spread further and outside the continent. At least 12 African countries, including previously unaffected nations like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, reported mpox outbreaks. On August 15, Swedish officials reported a case of mpox clade 1b, the first case identified outside of Africa.

Africa CDC declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS), which will enable the mobilization of resources and funding across the affected countries.

There are two different groups of mpox virus: clade 1 and clade 2. Clade 2 caused the 2022 global outbreak and only clade 2 is detected, to date, in the United States. The PHEIC refers to the most recent outbreak caused by a type of clade 1 virus known as “clade 1b.” Clade 1b emerged in 2023 and appears to be more contagious and to cause more severe illness than clade 2. 

Both clades spread through direct contact with infected animals, intimate contact, and contact with contaminated materials. In the United States, CDC recommends vaccination for people exposed or likely to be exposed to mpox due to sexual activities that may put them at risk. Jynneos (Bavarian Nordic) is the mpox vaccine licensed by the FDA for preventing mpox in adults age 18 years and older at high risk for infection. 



Related Links

• WHO: WHO Director-General Declares Mpox Outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (8/14/24)
• Africa CDC: Africa CDC Declares Mpox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security, Mobilizing Resources across the Continent (8/13/24)
• WHO: Emergencies: Mpox (Monkeypox) Outbreak web page
• CDC: Mpox Vaccine Recommendations web page
• Immunize.org: Vaccines A–Z: Mpox main page

NFID will host a webinar titled Back to School: Childhood and Adolescent Immunization at 12:00 p.m. (ET) on August 22. The panel includes NFID Medical Director Robert H. Hopkins, Jr., MD; Jessica N. Snowden, MD, MS, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; and NFID Director Matthew M. Zahn, MD.

CME and CNE credit are available. There is no fee to participate in this activity, but preregistration is required.

Register for the webinar.



NFID hosts monthly webinars to increase awareness of the importance of infectious disease prevention and treatment. CME, CNE, and CPE credits are available for select recordings. View all archived NFID webinars.

The Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) will host a webinar titled New Approaches to Vaccine Communications at 2:30 p.m. (ET) on August 26. The webinar will introduce newly tested messages to encourage routine vaccinations for children and adults. These new messaging approaches can inspire openness and curiosity about vaccines.

The panel includes Jessica Malaty Rivera, MS, de Beaumont Foundation; Michael Perry, PerryUndem; and Dana Howe, MS, Vaccinate Your Family.

Register for the webinar.

Archived materials from previous webinars are also available on the PHCC website.