Category: Monkey Pox Vaccine

Vancouver --News Direct-- Tonix Pharmaceuticals

Tonix Pharmaceuticals CEO Dr Seth Lederman recently joined Steve Darling from Proactive to share exciting news about their COVID vaccine, TNX-1800, selected for testing in Project Next Gen, a White House initiative managed by the Department of Health and Human Services, NIH, and NIAID.

The vaccine is based on a live virus platform, providing a unique approach to waking up the immune system. Live virus vaccines, like TNX-1800, offer more durable immunity that lasts a long time and can potentially block virus transmission, addressing limitations seen in mRNA vaccines.

This choice of TNX-1800 is a testament to Tonix's nearly decade-long dedication to vaccine development. The technology platform can also be adapted to protect against other infectious diseases, such as monkeypox, smallpox, and tuberculosis, making it a versatile solution for future pandemics.

This development highlights the significance of vaccine platforms for tackling various infectious threats. Tonix's approach promises to offer more robust, long-lasting immunity and potential transmission prevention, which could revolutionize our approach to infectious disease control. The platform's adaptability positions it as a valuable tool for future vaccine strategies.

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Tonix Pharmaceuticals' CEO reveals next-generation COVID vaccine technology chosen for key program - Yahoo Finance

Many adults erroneously believe that immunizations are only for kids. However, that is simply not true. There are several vaccines that are recommended in adulthood, some which require more than one.

Many vaccines start in infancy and occur at regular intervals for the first 5 years of life. After childhood, several other immunizations are also recommended. With that being said, vaccine maintenance should be a major component of the yearly physical.

The COVID-19 pandemic should have been an excellent lesson in what can happen when there is widespread infection in our community. It is a known fact that vaccines help prevent disease. Vaccines should be a normal part of any annual wellness exam.

Fall is a great time to review recommended adult vaccines since most providers are discussing the importance of the yearly flu shot anyway. Vaccines help to prevent certain illnesses. They work by introducing your body to an antigen, which pretends to be an illness. Your bodys immune system reacts, and this response will help your body fight certain disease-causing pathogens in the future. So, what are the recommended vaccines for adults?

COVID-19: The COVID-19 virus is constantly changing. If you have been up to date with recommendations thus far, you should be on your 5th COVID-19 vaccine. Per the CDC, vaccination remains the best protection against COVID-19 related hospitalizations and deaths.

HPV: HPV is the human papillomavirus which causes cervical, throat, and anal cancer. The HPV vaccine is recommended as a 2-dose series from ages 9-14 and a 3-dose series from ages 15-45 if you were previously unvaccinated. Unfortunately, only 24.7% of Black people are vaccinated against HPV.

Influenza: The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends annual influenza vaccines for everyone 6 months and older. It is estimated that from 2019-2020, there were approximately 25,000 deaths and 390,000 hospitalizations related to influenza illnesses.

Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox): Mpox is caused by a virus that is like the virus that causes smallpox. The CDC recommends vaccination against Mpox for certain populations only. For more information, go to CDC.gov.

Pneumococcal: Pneumococcal infections are caused by streptococcus bacteria and can range from ear and sinus infections to serious infections in the blood. The two distinct types of vaccines available protect against many of the pneumococcal bacteria. Pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for all children younger than 5 years old, people 5 through 64 years old who are at increased risk for pneumococcal disease, and adults 65 years and older.

RSV: Recently the FDA approvedthe first of two vaccines for preventing RSV lower respiratory tract disease for adults at least 60 years old. This vaccine is recommended for individuals who are at increased risk. The decision to vaccinate should be discussed with your provider.

Shingrix (Shingles): Adults at least 50 years old should receive 2 doses of Shingrix, separated 2-6 months apart. Adults 19 years old or older with a weakened immune system should also receive 2 doses of Shingrix. Post-herpetic pain (PHN) is a complication of shingles, and the shingles vaccine is the only preventable treatment. Shingrix is more than 90% effective in preventing shingles and PHN.

Tdap: The Tdap vaccine protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough). Adults should receive the vaccine every 10 years. The vaccine is also important if adults will be around babies.

The COVID-19 pandemic should have been an excellent lesson in what can happen when there is widespread infection in our community. It is a known fact that vaccines help prevent disease. Vaccines should be a normal part of any annual wellness exam. We ALL have a responsibility to maintain the health and wellness of our community. Please do your part and make sure you are up to date on your immunizations!

Denise Hooks-Anderson, MD, FAAFP can be reached atyourhealthmatters@stlamerican.com.

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Yes, adults need vaccines too | Health News | stlamerican.com - St. Louis American

At the beginning of this year, the global alarm caused by monkeypox in 2022 had practically vanished. Although the virus was still being closely monitored by public health services, and the World Health Organization (WHO) still considered it a health emergency of international importance (it did not declare the end until May), after 85,000 cases and 89 deaths worldwide, there were three causes for optimism. The first was that the number of new cases had been dropping for months, from the thousand a day reached in August to just a few dozen. The second was its low mortality rate, which was far from the initial forecasts that spoke about 10% of those infected. And finally, the certainty that the virus was inefficiently transmitted outside of the risk behaviors associated with group sexual relations, which ruled out an increase in cases among other population groups.

February was an important moment for decision-making regarding the first global outbreak of monkeypox (which was renamed mpox at the end of 2022). The WHO advocated for a global strategy to control and eliminate the disease, but the European countries had assumed just the opposite: that the virus was here to stay and that trying to get rid of it was not only going to be very difficult, but it would also be too costly and even counterproductive due to the need to apply strict public health measures, which could be met with some social opposition, as was the case at some point of the fight against Covid-19.

This information is revealed by the minutes of the meeting of the Advisory Forum of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), held at the organizations headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, on February 21 and 22 of this year. At the meeting, the Danish representative of the Forum stated that it was important to prepare for long-term work on this issue, because the underlying drivers of the outbreak had not disappeared, and there would be a new young, unvaccinated, sexually active cohort, so there could be a new outbreak. For this reason, complete elimination might not be feasible. By continuing to vaccinate, test and advise the high-risk population, it will be possible to keep the outbreak under control, and monkeypox will be just another sexually transmitted disease. The ECDC Advisory Forum, made up of officials from the organization and the different countries public health guardians, sets the guidelines of the European public health agency.

Mike Catchpole, ECDC chief scientist, added that the cost benefit argument for elimination did not appear to be compelling. This is a reflection of the dilemma that everyone present were facing: continue doing things as before or impose surveillance measures with more or less force, with mandatoriness as a last resort to identify suspected cases, carry out diagnostic tests, comply with quarantines and vaccinate the at-risk population. Measures that should be followed until the virus is eradicated from Europe, and then repeated every time an outbreak caused by an imported case occurs, something that is quite likely considering that the pathogen continues to circulate in other continents such as America and Africa.

The Slovenian representative, on her part, pointed out that as long as monkeypox is perceived as a non-serious disease, it will be very difficult to eliminate, and enforcing these measures will not be an easy task.

As for the vaccines highly sought-after in the early stages of the epidemic the representative of France wondered if there is still interest in them, because HERA (the health emergency preparedness and response department of the EU) had just delivered the second batch of vaccination, but there was little demand for it, unlike last July when there was a shortage. She agreed about not striving for elimination but asked whether countries were confident that they could procure vaccinations, undertake testing and have a long-term strategy for the disease.

The representative of the Netherlands shared the results of the models on the evolution of the disease that were developed in that country, which discourage the adoption of more drastic measures: If the 0.7% of the population who were highly active became infected, a herd immunity threshold was achieved that actually caused the outbreak to wane, as had been observed last summer. Therefore, monkeypox appeared to be less infectious than had been assumed and the highest risk group would have already had the infection, he emphasized.

However, this does not mean that future risks should be ruled out. The outbreak, he said, highlighted the fact that this type of disease could be globally active if introduced into a certain group, and it is important to communicate this fact. The problem, he continued, is that even in a country like the Netherlands, where there is little stigma around this group (men who have relations with multiple same-sex partners), this population segment is hard to reach.

The part of the meeting dedicated to mpox was closed by Vicky Lefevre, head of the Public Health Functions Unit of the ECDC, who stated that the agency would continue to cover ways to reach out and protect this group, in addition to monitoring, testing, raising awareness and offering the vaccination to high-risk groups. As a finishing remark, she mentioned that she was glad to hear that everyone appeared to be in agreement on the elimination issue.

The final stance of the ECDC was made official in a document published two months later describing in detail the recommendations to continue dealing with the mpox outbreak, which do not introduce any major changes to the strategy developed since the summer of 2022. Notably, the word elimination is not mentioned once in the 28 pages of the text.

The meetings of the Advisory Forum are of a technical-scientific nature and all points of view are addressed with the aim of gathering, among all members, the best evidence available for decision-making. In this sense, the Forum would have failed in its functions and its mission if the difficulties involved in any initiative to eliminate a disease and the advisability or not of developing it had not been raised and discussed, states a spokesperson for the Spanish Ministry of Health.

Carlos Maluquer de Motes, professor of molecular virology at the University of Surrey (UK) and expert in smallpox viruses, explains: As a virologist, and taking into account that this virus is similar to that of [traditional] smallpox [already eradicated], I think it is always less risky to opt for a strategy of elimination instead of one of containment, which in the long run gives the pathogen time to continue adapting to humans and reach other population groups.

However, he admits that there are other relevant factors that public health experts take into account in their decision-making. The strategy that eradicated smallpox almost half a century ago included mandatory vaccination, something that is not in line with the current criteria, which are based on voluntary participation and face challenges such as anti-vaccine movements. This requires adapting the response in a way that takes into account the natural immunity of those who have already had the disease, which in this case is favored by the low mortality of mpox. In any case, allowing the virus to continue circulating requires close monitoring and considering measures to adapt the response, if necessary, he continues.

In recent months, there has been a slight increase in mpox cases, something that the WHO and those responsible for public health already feared, given the proliferation of summer festivals in which risky practices are common. According to the latest WHO report, published on October 20 with data from late September, diagnosed cases exceeded 91,000 worldwide, with 157 deaths, most of them in the American continent. In Europe, 229 cases were diagnosed in September, seven times more than in August, although still far from the 2022 figures of several hundred a day.

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Europe has given up on eliminating monkeypox: It will be just another STD - EL PAS USA

What is monkeypox?

Monkeypox is a rare viral disease that primarily affects animals, including monkeys, rodents, and other mammals. However, it can also be transmitted to humans, causing a similar but less severe illness compared to smallpox. The disease was first identified in 1958 when outbreaks occurred in monkeys kept for research purposes.

The virus responsible for monkeypox belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus, which also includes the variola virus that causes smallpox. Monkeypox is endemic in Central and West African countries, particularly in remote regions where people have close contact with infected animals.

How is monkeypox transmitted?

Monkeypox can be transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected animals, such as handling their blood, bodily fluids, or lesions. Additionally, human-to-human transmission can occur through respiratory droplets, contact with body fluids, or contaminated objects. The disease is not easily transmitted between humans, and sustained human-to-human transmission is rare.

What are the symptoms of monkeypox?

The symptoms of monkeypox in humans usually appear within 7 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. Initially, individuals may experience fever, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue. This is followed the development of a rash, which typically starts on the face and then spreads to other parts of the body. The rash progresses through different stages, including the formation of fluid-filled blisters that eventually crust over.

Is monkeypox a deadly disease?

Although monkeypox is generally a self-limiting disease, meaning it resolves on its own without specific treatment, severe cases can occur, particularly in individuals with weakened immune systems. In rare instances, monkeypox can be fatal, with a mortality rate of around 1-10%, depending on the strain of the virus.

How can monkeypox be prevented?

Preventing monkeypox primarily involves avoiding contact with infected animals and practicing good hygiene. This includes washing hands regularly with soap and water, avoiding close contact with sick individuals, and using personal protective equipment when handling animals or their specimens.

Is there a vaccine for monkeypox?

Currently, there is no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine available for monkeypox. However, smallpox vaccine has been shown to provide some protection against monkeypox. In case of an outbreak, public health measures such as isolation of infected individuals, contact tracing, and surveillance are implemented to control the spread of the disease.

In conclusion, monkeypox is a rare viral disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans. While it is generally less severe than smallpox, it can still cause significant illness. Preventive measures, such as avoiding contact with infected animals and practicing good hygiene, are crucial in reducing the risk of transmission.

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What is monkeypox? - TickerTV News

SALEM, Ore. -- Oregon Health Authority is insisting people protect themselves against mpox following an increase in cases of the virus in the state during the past three months.

Oregon Health Authority (OHA) says seventeen mpox cases were reported in about a 100-day span to OHA and local public health authorities between July 20 and October 31.

It is reminding people about the availability of a safe and effective vaccine against mpox, or poxvirus formerly called monkeypox.

OHA says Oregon's recent mpox cases are prompting state health officials to distribute a statewide advisory to healthcare providers this month recommending they consider mpox when evaluating patients with mpox symptoms regardless of the patient's reported risk, vaccination status or level of community transmission. The advisory also states that testing patients with rashes, lesions or symptoms compatible with mpox should be considered part of comprehensive sexual health care.

OHA says mpox spreads primarily through close, skin-to-skin contact, "Most often, it has spread through intimate or sexual contact and during contact with the lesions of an individual with mpox through a caregiving relationship, such as a parent caring for a child or an adult caretaker of another person."

Dr. Tim Menza is senior health adviser for OHAs mpox response who says Oregon recorded one to three mpox cases per month before mid-summer. He says while the recent case increase since July is lower than the 10-15 cases reported weekly at the height of the 2022 outbreak, these cases show mpox is spreading in Oregon, "We never declared the 2022 outbreak over because we were concerned about increases like the one we are seeing now, and it gives us an opportunity to remind folks in the community that vaccination against mpox remains a valuable tool for reducing the risk of mpox infection."

OHA says the JYNNEOS mpox vaccine is free and available to anyone in Oregon who wants to be vaccinated, regardless of insurance status. OHA says, "It is also highly effective: According to a study published in May in the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC)Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the vaccine was found to be 75% effective for those receiving one dose and 86% effective for those who had two doses."

Mpox symptoms can start between a few days to three weeks after contact, which most commonly are flu-like symptoms of fever, chills, sweats, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and fatigue. OHA says most people will develop a rash within a few days of the flu-like symptoms; some people only develop a rash, which may start on or near the penis, testicles, labia, vagina or anus. It may also be on other areas like the hands, feet, chest, face or mouth.

People who suspect they have mpox should contact their healthcare providers to let them know before going in to be seen. The provider may recommend testing for mpox. People who dont have a healthcare provider can call 2-1-1 for help finding a clinic or healthcare provider.

More information about mpox in Oregon is at OHAsmpox websiteor the CDCs mpox page,https://mpoxvaxmap.org/. Vaccination clinics can be searched by ZIP code with the mpox vaccine locator tool athttps://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/Monkeypox/Pages/vaccine.aspx.

Monkeypox virus

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Mpox rising in Oregon, and so is OHA's warning to act against the virus - KDRV

Deaths from a handful of viruses that spill over from animals to humans are set to increase 12-fold by 2050 due to climate change and habitat encroachment, according to a new study published in the British Medical Journal.

Three of the fourfiloviruses like Ebola and Marburg, SARS, and Nipah virusare on the World Health Organizations list of priority pathogens, noted for their potential to cause the next pandemic.

But the Ebola-like Machupo virus is also a contender, the authors of the new study argue. And regardless of which pathogen ends up fueling the next global health crisis, theyre all worthy of attention, the authors maintain.

The reason: Epidemics of the viruses they focused on are set to cause a combined death toll of more than 15,000 annually by 2050, even if they dont make an evolutionary leap that allows them to ravage the globe.

Researchers at Boston-based biotech firm Ginkgo Bioworks honed in on four viruses likely to pose a significant public health risk and endanger economic or political stability. Called zoonotic viruses, they spill over from animals to humans, who can then transmit them to other humans.

Photo by NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Viruses in this family cause hemorrhagic, or bloody, fevers, which are typically accompanied by bleeding from bodily orifices and/or internal organs. The family consists of five strains of Ebola in addition to Marburgan extremely similar virus that made headlines during an outbreak in Equatorial Guinea earlier this year.

On average, Ebola kills about 50% of those it sickens, though case fatality rates have ranged from 25%-90%, according to the WHO. Marburg also kills around 50% of those it infects, though case fatality rates range from around 24% to 88%, experts say. While there are two licensed vaccines for the deadliest strain of Ebola, Zaire, there arent any for the four other strains. Nor is there an approved vaccine for Marburg, though some are in development.

Photo by JIMIN LAI/AFP via Getty Images

The worlds first confirmed coronavirus pandemic occurred in 2002, when SARS-CoV-1 was reported in China. It spread to more than two dozen countries in North and South America and Europe before being contained seven months later. It is thought to have originated in an animal population, perhaps bats, before being passed to civet catsa tropical animal that looks like a mix of a dog and an ocelotthen to people. A spillover could happen again.

Symptoms include headache, body aches, mild respiratory symptoms, possible diarrhea, an eventual dry cough, and pneumonia in most. SARS sickened nearly 8,100 people and killed just under 10% of them from 2002 to 2003. There is no licensed vaccine for SARS, though researchers are working on universal coronavirus vaccines that could target both SARS and COVID, among other coronaviruses.

C. K Thanseer/DeFodi images via Getty Images

Nipah is a henipavirus, the most lethal of paramyxoviruses. It was first identified in pigs in Malaysia and Singapore in the late 1980s, though its natural reservoir is fruit bats. The other henipavirus known to infect people, Hendra, was first noted in racehorses and humans in Australia in 1994. Both feature respiratory illness and severe flu-like symptoms, and may progress to encephalitisinflammation of the brainalong with other neurologic symptoms and death.

Nipah kills between 45% and 75% of the people it infects. No licensed vaccines exist, though a vaccine by Moderna, in coordination with the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Vaccine Research Center, is being evaluated.

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Also known as black typhus and Bolivian hemorrhagic fever, Machupo was first isolated in Bolivia in 1959. The Calomys callosus field mouse is a natural carrier of the virus, the symptoms of which are Ebola-like and include bleeding, high fever, pain, and rapid death.

Machupo kills between a quarter and a third of those it infects. Though there are no licensed vaccines for it, a vaccine for Argentinean hemorrhagic fevercaused by the similar Junin virusmay also offer protection against Machupo, according to Stanford University.

Researchers only looked at outbreaks that killed 50 or more people between 1963 and 2019. They didnt take into account the following viruses, which may have otherwise met their criteria:

SARS-CoV-2: The virus behind the recent COVID pandemic may have been caused by a lab leak instead of spillover from an animal like a raccoon dog or pangolin. Thus, its not certain that the virus is zoonotic. Whats more, including this disease could skew the studys numbers, making projected deaths look higher than they potentially should be. Regardless, the COVID pandemic occurred just after the studys 2019 cutoff. COVID is, however, on the WHOs list of priority pathogens.

Hantaviruses and Lassa virus: Both rodent-spread viruses were eliminated from consideration because surveillance has increased over time, potentially causing the growth of studied viruses to appear greater than it should be.

Flu and vector-borne pathogens: Flu viruses like 2009s H1N1 and vector-borne diseases like Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever and Zika virus were excludedthe former due to surveillance programs that have grown with time, with the potential to skew predictions on the high end, and the latter due to eradication programs that have the potential to skew predictions on the low end.

When crunching numbers on outbreaks, researchers looked at the number of dead, not the number infected. Thats because the number of fatalities is typically more accurate, given that people can contract a disease and show few or no signs of it.

After epidemics were whittled down, the scientists came up with the following calculus:

The figures are likely an underestimate, the authors cautioned.

Most of the 72 outbreaks they examined were caused by filoviruses in Africa like Marburg and Ebola, which comprised more than half of outbreaks. The duo of viruses caused more than 90% of the 17,000-plus total deaths.

While SARS was the No. 2 leading cause of deaths, at 922, it caused a significantly smaller amount of infections, mainly impacting Asiaas did the Machupo and Nipah viruses, which caused 529 deaths combined, mainly impacting South America and Asia.

The researchers findings suggest that spillover events are not an aberration or random cluster, but follow a multi-decade trend in which [such] epidemics have become both larger and more frequent, the authors wrote, adding that urgent action is needed.

One of the most important things we can continue to do is early detection and intervention, which has been shown time and time again through research to be one of the most effective ways to limit the start of an outbreak, Amanda Meadows, a data scientist at Ginkgo and lead author of the paper, told Fortune.

During the pandemic, collective gains were made in wastewater surveillance. COVID is now widely monitored in wastewater, as are other diseases like flu, RSV, and even Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox). An ideal scenario: if pre-existing wastewater surveillance systems are able to screen for potential pandemic pathogens like Ebola, Nipah, and others, giving experts a warning that an outbreak may soon occur, Meadows said.

Even if widespread wastewater surveillance isnt economically feasible, wastewater programs at major international airports like those stood up during the pandemic could alert public health officials to the arrival of such pathogens from overseas, Nita Madhav, senior director of epidemiology and modeling at Ginkgo, told Fortune. Its crucial, she added, that the world maintain the surveillance structure built during COVID for use during future pandemics.

Both Meadows and Madhav said they hope researchers and the public alike dont fall into the classic pandemic panic-neglect cycle that ensures the world is never quite ready for the next global health catastrophe.

Aside from maintaining and even improving on the surveillance network built during the COVID pandemic, Madhav said, theres more that can be done to prevent future pandemics, including small changes made on an individual level.

Pandemics and epidemics are not a foregone conclusion, Madhav said, if we can reduce drivers of risk like climate change, and implications of human interaction with land. Its really powerful that people can make personal choices that directly impact how this plays out over the next decades.

Some actions consumers can take to reduce climate change, according to the United Nations, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Imperial College London:

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These 4 lethal viruses could fuel the next pandemic, new research says. What they areand how the world can prepare - Fortune

Last June, when COVID was still raging, Oregon health officials warned the public about the states first case of monkeypox, now known as mpox.

Cases continued to rise, peaking at 85 cases in August. By years end, health officials had tracked 270 cases, mostly among gay and bisexual men, though two Oregon children were also infected.

Health care providers administered thousands of doses of a vaccine and cases slowed, with only one case in December and four in January. But in recent months infections have been on the rise.

Jonathan Modie, a senior Oregon Health Authority spokesman, said the agency expected an increase following the festivals and parties in summer.

Cases began to increase then, and we have seen a consistent trickling of cases each week since mid-July, Modie said in an email.

We never declared the 2022 outbreak over because we were concerned about increases like the one we are seeing now, Dr. Tim Menza, the health authoritys senior mpox adviser, said in a news release. It gives us an opportunity to remind folks in the community that vaccination against mpox remains a valuable tool for reducing the risk of mpox infection.

The disease mainly spreads through skin contact, and symptoms can emerge within a few days or weeks. The most common are flu-like fever, chills, sweats, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and fatigue. Patients usually develop a rash that looks like pimples or blisters, perhaps first in the genital area and then on the hands, feet, chest, face or mouth. The scabs usually fall off within four weeks.

Most people recover at home without special treatment, though the blisters are often painful.

When the outbreak first emerged in the U.S., there was a shortage of the vaccine, Jynneos. But the health authority said the two-dose vaccine is now readily available and free. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Oregon health officials say its safe and effective: A study published in May by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that one dose of the vaccine prevented illness among 75% of people and that two doses protected 86%.

The health authority urges anyone at risk to get vaccinated. Modie said they include people who have been in intimate contact in the prior two weeks with someone whos infected or anyone in close contact with them along with laboratory workers who test for the virus and providers who treat infected patients.

Anyone who suspects they have mpox should contact their primary care provider first to find out whether they should be tested before going in for a visit. If you dont have a provider, call 211 for help.

Infections are not expected to go away, Modie said.

The virus is now endemic to the United States and will continue to circulate among unvaccinated persons and those whose vaccine-based immunity has started to decline over time, Modie said.

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A registered nurse with The Los Angeles Department of Public Health administers a vaccination at a clinic to immunize people against mpox and COVID in Aug. 2022 at The Village Mental Health Services in Los Angeles.(Christina House / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

After a summer of very low case rates, public health officials are warning that cases of mpox formerly known as monkeypox are rising around California, including in the Bay Area.

The initial outbreak of the virus hit the United States in the summer and fall of 2022, particularly affecting gay and bisexual men as well as trans and nonbinary people who have sex with men. After a mass vaccination effort led by organizers from the LGBTQ+ community and public health officials, the rate of mpox infections dropped to virtually zero in California but now, the average number of cases reported every week around the state has more than doubled from the summer months.

Keep reading for what we know about the recent rise in mpox cases in the Bay Area and across the state, recommendations from local public health officials, and where you can find an mpox vaccine in the Bay Area.

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Bay Area health officials had originally been concerned about the potential for a resurgence of mpox, a viral disease which spreads mainly from close physical contact, much earlier this year ahead of Pride festivities in June. Fears of a 2022-style outbreak did not materialize, and case counts stayed very low: From February to August 2023, the average weekly case number across California was approximately 1 to 7 cases, according to data from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

But on Oct. 31, CDPH Director Dr. Toms J. Aragn announced that the agency was now beginning to see an uptick in mpox cases across the state.

According to CDPH data, the number of mpox cases in California has significantly increased, up from this summers low to approximately 17 cases per week in the most recent three-week period (with available data being from Sept. 20 to Oct. 10).

CDPH also noted a rise in the number of California counties reporting mpox cases: 15 counties in that most recent three-week period, compared to 11 counties in the three weeks before that. Similar increases, said the agency, are also being seen nationwide in states including Washington,North CarolinaandHawaii.

What about the Bay Area? In a statement, the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) said that mpox cases in the city have risen too, from only 7 cases in August to 20 cases in September and at least 20 cases in October. SFDPH noted that some Bay Area counties have seen increased incidence rates in the last several months, too, as had other large cities around the United States, albeit at slightly different times compared to San Franciscos rise. Los Angeles said SFDPH saw its mpox increase in June, and mpox cases increased in Chicago in May. The latter was the outbreak that initially prompted Bay Area health officials to urge renewed vigilance against mpox ahead of Pride.

While the average number of weekly cases remains low compared with last year at this time, mpox continues to circulate in California, and recent data indicate that transmission levels are increasing, CDPH said. SFDPH also stresses that their count of October cases is still being completed, and this number may rise further.

CDPH noted two important things about this latest rise in mpox case numbers. The first: This latest increase appears to be fueled more by ongoing transmission within sexual networks than by people traveling to or from specific areas.

Importantly, most cases did not report travel or attending any specific event, CDPH said.

SFDPH has been more open to the notion that travel and event attendance could have played at least some role in this latest mpox rise, noting that during this outbreak, transmission is primarily related to intimate contact during oral or anal sex and that when people are connecting more frequently or with new sexual partners, there are more opportunities for mpox to spread.

Things like late summer travel, gatherings, and events may be associated with changes in sexual practices that can lead to increases in cases, SFDPH said.

The second highlight from CDPH was the role of the two-dose mpox vaccine and what it does (and doesnt) do.

CPDPH said that since early September, over 40% of people with a documented case of mpox had at least one dose of the vaccine. A lower proportion of people, 31%, had two doses. This, said CDPH, highlights that while mpox vaccine is effective at reducing infections and disease severity, infections after vaccination are possible and testing is warranted among vaccinated persons.

With this, we are reminding and encouraging all Californians to be aware of the signs and symptoms of mpox and to take preventive measures, including vaccination, to protect against severe illness, Aragn said.

SFDPH said that more than 50,000 doses of the mpox vaccine had been administered to date, but more than 40% of those who received their first dose are due for their second dose. If case rates are lower in people with two shots of the mpox vaccine than those with one shot, is there a reason people are not seeking out that second shot?

Joe Hawkins, CEO and co-founder of the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, which offers mpox shots at its clinic, said that the huge number of people out there who received their first dose and who never came back for the second dose might have something to do with this summers low case rates which stayed low at least in part because of vaccinations.

I think that when people see that the news reports show that the cases have dropped dramatically, I just think and this is obviously me just assuming, that people dont feel that the risk is still out there, Hawkins said.

But people are still contracting mpox, and this will continue, he stressed. Because where theres smoke, theres fire, and the opportunity to spread mpox is still very high.

How mpox cases are tracked around the country:

Anyone can get mpox, but SFDPH said that the 2022 mpox outbreak predominantly affected communities of gay and bisexual men and men who have sex with men (MSM), as well as trans and nonbinary people who have sex with men.

This 2022 outbreak was unique compared to what had been known about mpox previously, Dr. Stephanie Cohen, director of HIV prevention for the Population Health Division at SFDPH, told KQED earlier this year. Thats because the virus really seemed to spread through sexual transmission and [was] associated with sexual activities, she said. Read more about how mpox spreads.

When you look at our national data [from 2022], almost 97% of cases in the U.S. were in people who are cis men, Cohen said. There were very, very few cases in cisgender women and also very few cases about 0.08% in children under the age of 16.

The mpox vaccine is a two-dose series, with roughly a month between doses, and public health officials are urging people to seek vaccination in light of this most recent rise in cases. So

If you got both doses of the mpox vaccine in 2022:

Youre all up to date and you dont need to get another mpox vaccine in 2023. Theres no recommendation at this time to get an mpox booster, SFDPHs Cohen said.

If you didnt get the mpox vaccine in 2022:

Go ahead and get your first dose as soon as possible, and get your second dose around 28 days later.

If you got only your first dose of the mpox vaccine in 2022, or more than 28 days ago:

Get your second dose as soon as possible, Cohen said. Getting both doses of the vaccine is very critical for protection, she said.

Reminder: The mpox vaccine is available for everyone.

In 2022, public health officials were initially only offering vaccines to people exposed to mpox or were categorized as being in a specific group more at risk from mpox. Those eligibility criteria are no longer in effect, and anyone who wants an mpox vaccine can get one in San Franciscoand in many other areas of California.

There is no shortage of mpox vaccine now, the SFDPH website said, and there is no need to prove eligibility for the vaccine.

Remember, getting your mpox vaccine wont 100% prevent you from getting mpox, as the CDPH data show. But being vaccinated could also help reduce your symptoms which can be painful if you do get infected, SFDPHs Cohen said.

Thats, of course, really a good outcome of the vaccine because we did see some pretty severe cases of mpox last summer in unvaccinated individuals, Cohen said. And we really dont want people to experience the distressing and painful symptoms that occurred at the same time.

Your mpox vaccine will be 100% free, and you dont need health insurance to receive one. As with the COVID vaccine, receiving an mpox vaccine wont make you a public charge or affect any future immigration processes you may enter into, and you wont be asked about your immigration status to receive the mpox vaccine.

You can schedule an appointment for an mpox vaccine, or choose a walk-in clinic.

If you live in or near San Francisco:

See a full list of mpox vaccine sites near you in San Francisco. SFDPHs Stephanie Cohen confirmed that you dont have to be a city resident to get vaccinated for mpox in San Francisco.

Mpox vaccination sites elsewhere in the Bay Area and California:

How does mpox spread?

Mpox is a disease that is caused when a person is infected with the mpox virus. As the name might suggest, the virus is related to the smallpox virus but is generally less severe and much less contagious than smallpox, according to CDPH.

Mpox spreads through prolonged skin-to-skin contact, said SFDPH, which notes that transmission during this latest 2023 rise in cases is primarily related to intimate contact during oral or anal sex. It can also spread through kissing and sharing bedding or clothing.

What are the symptoms of mpox?

The symptoms of mpox often start as flu-like symptoms, said SFPDH, but the virus also appears as a rash or sores or spots that can resemble pimples or blisters on the skin anywhere on the body, especially around your genitals. These spot often start as red, flat spots, and then become bumps, said SFDPH, before the bumps become filled with pus, and turn into scabs when they break. See the full list of mpox symptoms from SFDPH.

Its really important that if someone develops a rash that they think might be related to pox, even if its subtle, to come in and see their doctor and get checked out and get tested, urged Cohen. And that can help us prevent the spread of transmission in the community. See more on what to do if you suspect you have mpox.

Is mpox the same as monkeypox?

Yes. In 2022, the World Health Organization announced it would adopt the new, preferred term mpox as a synonym for monkeypox, in the light of the racist and stigmatizing language online, in other settings and in some communities that the agency said it had observed during the outbreak earlier that year.

You may have also seen the virus referred to as MPX, which was the name originally adopted by SFDPH.

KQEDs Carlos Cabrera-Lomel contributed to this story.

At KQED News, we know that it can sometimes be hard to track down the answers to navigate life in the Bay Area in 2023. Weve published clear, practical explainers and guides about COVID, how to cope with intense winter weather and how to exercise your right to protest safely.

So tell us: What do you need to know more about? Tell us, and you could see your question answered online or on social media. What you submit will make our reporting stronger, and help us decide what to cover here on our site, and on KQED Public Radio, too.

Continued here:

Mpox Cases in California Are Rising. Where Can You Find a Vaccine? - KQED

On April 29, 2022, a British citizen developed a rash while traveling in Nigeria. After returning to the U.K., he decided to go to the hospital as his rash got worse, lymph nodes swelled and fever rose. The doctors confirmed it was monkeypox, or mpox, as it was renamed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Monkeypox is a disease caused by a virus that usually spreads from animals to humans but rarely between humans. However, in just one month last spring, thousands of cases were reported worldwide and the WHO declared it an international public health emergency. Recent research by virologists has shown that the strain causing the outbreak had been circulating among humans for several years. They also found that a specific human enzyme with antiviral activity may have accelerated the mutation rate of the virus, raising concerns among scientists about the future of mpox.

The mpox threat has diminished now. While new infections persist, the WHO lifted its alert in the summer. However, the pathogen remains present, and its origin remains unknown. Historically, outbreaks typically involve transmission from animals to humans, often rodents or apes, with limited human-to-human transmissions. The virus did not effectively adapt to the human environment. However, something seemed to have changed in 2022. Within a few months, thousands of people got infected and by the end of October 2023, the number had already exceeded 91,000. Surprisingly, most of them had not traveled to countries like Nigeria or the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where mpox is typically found. This suggests that there was ongoing person-to-person transmission, which is not usually associated with a zoonotic (transmitted from animals) disease.

A group of scientists, including some who initially studied SARS-Cov-2, have recently sequenced the genome of nearly 100 mpox virus samples, some of which date back to the 1960s. The purpose of this research was to identify the origin of the B.1 strain responsible for the 2022 outbreak. This strain is categorized under clade IIb and originated in West Africa. Thankfully, it is about 10 times less lethal than clade II viruses found in Central Africa.

Their research study published in Science suggests that the 2022 samples are not the first instances of the outbreak. They share up to 42 mutations in their DNA, which were traced back to a 2015 case that already displayed one of these changes. In the following year, Nigerian authorities reported some cases of mpox in humans. Initially, they were believed to be of zoonotic origin and unrelated to each other. However, the researchers concluded that there had been sustained human-to-human transmission since 2016.

Its not clear what led to the global spread of B.1. There doesnt seem to be anything particularly different about this lineage of the virus.

To support this conclusion, they pointed to the origin of the 42 changes in the viral DNA, focusing on nucleotides the fundamental elements of DNA (A, T, G and C). They found that nearly all of these mutations are associated with an enzyme called APOBEC3, which is present in most mammals. Rodents, known as virus reservoirs, only have one copy of this enzyme in the spleen and bone marrow, not in other tissues. In humans, the enzyme is part of the immune system and helps remove parts of the viruss DNA that hinder replication. These genetic modifications emerged after 2017, indicating that they did not occur prior to the virus transmission from animals to humans.

The lead author of the research study, virologist ine OToole from the University of Edinburgh (U.K.), said, Since it began affecting humans in 2016, the changes made to the APOBEC3 gene are visible as scars on the virus genome. When viruses replicate, they expose their DNA, which allows this enzyme to replace certain letters with others. This interference affects the replicative machinery in most cases, but sometimes the pathogen still manages to replicate, now marked with APOBEC3. However, OToole doesnt have an answer for why the outbreak occurred in May 2022 after circulating for at least six years. Its not clear what led to the global spread of B.1. There doesnt seem to be anything particularly different about this lineage of the virus. It probably spread widely because it entered specific population networks.

Antonio Alcam, a virologist with Spains Severo Ochoa Molecular Biology Center (CMB/CSIC), underscores the importance of knowing when it began to circulate: It was previously considered to be of recent origin. However, the same strain of the virus responsible for the 2022 outbreak has been detected in humans since 2016. Alcam (who did not participate in this study) says these latest findings are very significant. It was believed that mpox did not infect humans, but we now know otherwise, which serves as a warning that mpox is indeed adapting to humans.

The longer the virus circulates among people, the greater the likelihood that it will adapt to the human body.

One possible factor could be that APOBEC3 has accelerated mpoxs mutation rate. Compared to previous orthopoxviruses like human smallpox, which had a very slow rate of change, mpox displayed 42 DNA changes in two to three years. This is a significantly faster rate 28 times faster than previous mpox lineages. The main point is to determine whether these mutations increase transmissibility among humans, said Ral Rivas, a professor of microbiology and genetics at the University of Salamanca (Spain). Rivas also stresses the importance of dating the first cases with these mutations. The longer the virus circulates among people, the greater the likelihood that it will adapt to the human body.

The authors of the study clarified that although the antiviral enzyme is responsible for the mutations in the B.1 lineage, it does not necessarily imply that APOBEC3 is boosting the viruss ability to replicate and transmit among humans. Fernando Gonzlez, a professor at the University of Valencia (Spain) who studies phylogenomics (reconstructing the evolutionary histories of organisms), notes, APOBEC3 does not directly cause mutations, but it is mutagenic. Some of these mutations have increased the viruss transmissibility. The next urgent step is to link the antiviral enzyme with this increased capacity for contagion.

The study concludes that if a connection between APOBEC3 and the long-term presence of mpox in humans is discovered, it would represent a significant shift in our understanding of the virus. Oriol Mitj, from the Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital in Barcelona, participated in the discovery of a necrotizing form of mpox in people with advanced HIV. We can expect new zoonotic outbreaks of mpox in the future. However, if transmission between humans persists, we can consider it a human virus. This represents a paradigm shift, much like we saw with HIV [which was initially zoonotic], said Mitj.

The recent findings have heightened concern about the spread of mpox. The majority of the over 91,000 individuals infected so far are under the age of 50, implying that they have not received the smallpox vaccine (smallpox was eradicated in 1980). There is a potential risk that mpox could fill the void left by its viral relative and spread within an unimmunized population. The situation could become even more dire if the B.1 lineage successfully transmits between humans, as clade I viruses are fatal in 10% of the cases.

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Monkeypox circulated among humans for years before the 2022 outbreak - EL PAS USA

The following is a news release from Idaho Division of Public Health.

Idaho Division of Public Health and Central District Health are announcing the first two reported people diagnosed with mpox in Idaho since last year. Investigation is ongoing, but both persons reported traveling outside the state, which may be related to these diagnoses. Both people diagnosed with mpox are Ada County residents. There is currently no evidence of ongoing transmission of mpox in Idaho.

Mpox, which was previously called monkeypox, is caused by a virus that can spread through prolonged direct contact with someone with mpox or, very rarely, touching things like bedding or towels contaminated with the virus. Infection usually causes a rash that can look like pimples at first and then like blisters. These may be all over the body or just in certain places, such as the face, hands, or feet, as well as on or inside the mouth, genitals, or anus.

Some people can also have flu-like symptoms such as sore throat, runny nose, cough, fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches, headache, and tiredness. Someone with mpox might have all or only a few symptoms. A person with mpox can spread it to others from the time symptoms start until the rash has fully healed.

People who have been exposed to someone with mpox should watch for symptoms for 21 days afterward and get vaccinated against mpox as soon as possible (preferably within four days but up to 14 days after exposure) if they are not already vaccinated.

Mpox vaccine (JYNNEOS) can help prevent mpox and may help make symptoms less severe. People should get two doses four weeks apart for the best protection against mpox. People who should not get JYNNEOS are those who have had a severe allergic reaction (such as anaphylaxis) after getting the first dose. During the 2022 mpox outbreak, anaphylactic reactions were reported in about three per million doses administered.

Vaccine may be given in the skin of the forearm, upper back, or shoulder, or under the skin on the back of the arm. Records indicate about one in three Idahoans who had the first dose of JYNNEOS didnt receive a second dose.

Since the first infection in the U.S., we have gained more knowledge and tools we can use to reduce the impact of this virus, said Central District Health Staff Epidemiologist Sarah Wright. One of these is the mpox vaccine, a preventive tool that has been shown to make symptoms milder in people that get mpox. If you are interested in this vaccine, talk to your healthcare provider or a provider at Central District Health.

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Mpox, previously called Monkeypox, returns to Idaho with two ... - East Idaho News