And Greece is on alert for a possible case of monkeypoxafter he “set foot” in Europe and specifically in Sweden.
Measures against rapid spread of the new variant of the new variant of monkey pox, which according to the WHO presents pandemic characteristics, our country received in time.
Greece was one of the first countries to start vaccinating people over the age of 18 with the Jynneos vaccine from July 22, 2024. This is a vaccine that has proven the effective coverage and protection it offers against the new phylogenetic group 1b of the Mpox virus.
At the same time, the virus, also known as monkeypox virus, continues to pose a significant threat to public health, mainly due to the emergence of the new phylogenetic group 1b, which is widely circulating and has emerged as highly contagious and dangerous.
The scientific community seems to be concerned about the effectiveness of existing treatments and for this reason studies continue with undiminished intensity, just as the World Health Organization has recommended.
Thus it has been proven that the vaccine is the only weapon that science currently has in its quiver, as according to recently published clinical studies, the antiviral drug Tecovirimat, appears to lack strong efficacy against the latest variant of the virus.
“The vaccination is considered in the clinical studies that saw the light of day a few days ago, to be effective, not only in phylogenetic group 1 (i.e. that of the original strain of the virus), but also in the more aggressive phylogenetic group 1b, which has been circulating mainly in the last months)”, says Dora Psaltopoulou, Professor of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at the EKPA School of Medicine, speaking to iatropedia.gr and adds that what proved to be ineffective in the new group 1b is an antiviral drug that has been circulating in recent years years.
Which population groups are most at risk in Greece?
According to Ms. Psaltopoulos, there are specific population groups that are at increased risk of Mpox infection.
He says the risk is especially high in people who have traveled to or live in areas where the disease is endemic, such as the Congo and other neighboring Central African countries.
Also at increased risk are people who have been in contact with infected people or have consumed products from wild animals and rodents.
“Those who have gone to the Congo and neighboring countries. Those who have been in contact with sick people or with the meat and meat products of wild animals and rodents (monkeys, monkeys and rodents), the immunocompromised, people who have multiple sexual partners – regardless of gender – those who have multiple sexual partners related to people from those areas, people with HIV infection, all of them can be affected as the disease can be transmitted through close physical contact. Unfortunately, children are also very vulnerable. Unfortunately, children are not doomed to get stuck”, she notes.
It is worth noting that children in Africa have been shown to be extremely vulnerable to the virus, despite the fact that they are often considered more resistant to infection.
In fact, among the 17,000 suspected cases of smallpox across the African continent, 50% of reported cases and the majority of deaths are children under 5 years of age.
These infections are thought to belong to phylogenetic group Ia, which is endemic to the region.
Antiviral Tecovirimat ineffective in the new variant
An important issue that has emerged in recent studies is the ineffectiveness of the antiviral drug Tecovirimat in treating Mpox virus variant 1b.
Professor Psaltopoulou explains how Tecovirimat, which was effective in the older variant of the virus, “doesn’t seem to give people who are sick and take it a better chance of a cure” in the new variant.
This means that Mpox 1b sufferers cannot rely on this medicine for their recovery.
“In group 1b, the antiviral drug that has been marketed and given until now under the name Tecovirimat, does not seem to give a better chance of cure to people who get sick and take it. We are talking about the new branch, in the old branch it remains effective”, emphasizes the Professor.
Mortality and transmissibility of the new variant
Mpox virus variant 1b has shown increased transmissibility and greater ability to cause complications, compared to the older variant.
However, recent studies show that the lethality of the new variant is lower than originally estimated. Specifically, the probability of death from Mpox virus of phylogenetic group 1b is 1.7%, lower than originally predicted.
“In infection with the new branch 1b there is a probability of death of 1.7% which is lower than the 3% and 5% and 10% that was initially estimated”, says Dora Psaltopoulou characteristically and adds that despite the lower mortality the virus is still is a significant threat, particularly in areas such as Africa, where sanitation and the health system are underdeveloped.
Continuous monitoring of the evolution of the virus and taking preventive measures, such as vaccination of vulnerable groups, are crucial to contain Mpox, the scientists conclude.
Where you can get vaccinated against Mpox
Vaccination against Mpox is currently carried out in Athens at the following vaccination centers:
Contact phone: 210 7295310 / 210 7265159
University General Hospital: ATTIKON
Contact phone: 210 5831656
Source: Iatropedia.gr
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