New severe form of monkeypox with high mortality identified

International researchers led by the Foundation for Infection Control (FLI) of Germany’s Trias i Pujol Hospital (Barcelona) and Queen Mary University of London have identified a severe and necrotizing form of smallpox (formerly known as monkeypox) that causes death in 15% of immunocompromised people. people with advanced HIV.

FLI infectologist Oriol Mitya recommended that this severe form of mpox be added to the list of serious infections by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control because they are especially dangerous for people with advanced HIV, and they have recommended that all people with mpox get tested for HIV.

An investigation published on Tuesday by the magazine Lancetcollected the largest series mpox cases in people with advanced HIV infection who are diagnosed with a new severe form of smallpox.

Most of infections Mpox during the current international outbreak has been transmitted through the sex networks of gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men, and 38% to 50% of people diagnosed with Mpox in the past year are also living with HIV. they are on antiretroviral treatment and lead a healthy lifestyle.

CASES C HIV

Although doctors suspected that smallpox it may be more serious in people with advanced HIV, so far there has not been a global study to confirm this.

In this work, the cases of 382 people with HIV progressive, of which 107 were hospitalized and 27 died.

Thus, they described a very severe form of smallpox characterized by large and generalized necrotizing skin lesions, a high incidence of serious infections, and, in some cases, lesions. unusual lungs.

This form of infection results in a 15% mortality rate in people with advanced disease due to HIV and immunosuppressed, and the study confirmed that 27 deaths occurred in this immunosuppressed group.

Therefore, the researchers asked that this severe form of mpox be added to the existing list. AIDS defining diseasesto help clinicians protect immunocompromised people who are at higher risk of dying from smallpox infection.

“Everyone who has mpox should get tested for HIV, and everyone who is at risk, HIV and immunosuppression should take precedence in preventive smallpox vaccination and access to antivirals,” asked Mitja, who recalled that most smallpox deaths occurred in countries with low HIV diagnosis rates or without universal access to smallpox or HIV antivirals and without access to intensive care units.

“A coordinated global effort is needed to ensure equal access to antiviral drugs And vaccine in countries where the interaction of uncontrolled HIV infection and mpox more often,” Mitya said.

According to an infectious disease specialist from the Infection Control Foundation and Germany’s Trias i Pujol Hospital, “When physicians recognize necrotic skin lesions or lung involvement, they should use a differentiated clinical path and a strengthened approach, and public health authorities should give priority to vaccinating people.” live with HIV”.

There is currently a list of 14 infections that behave differently and are especially dangerous for immunocompromised people in the advanced stages of HIV infection, and researchers want this. mpox included in this classification to guide the management of people at increased risk of death from these infections.

Prior to this work, researchers had published three case studies on the recent global smallpox outbreak: the first on smallpox infection in men; the second describes the manifestations of the disease according to its virology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, or clinical presentation, and the third focuses on smallpox infection in women and non-binary people.

EFE