Emergence of mpox in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Data assessment and implications for a public health response.

Autor:	Hermez J; World Health Organization (WHO), Regional Office for the Easter Mediterranean Region, Turkey., El Helou R; Division of Infectious Diseases and Center for Infectious Diseases Research (CIDR), Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, USA., Sawaya T; Division of Infectious Diseases and Center for Infectious Diseases Research (CIDR), Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, USA., Sader G; Division of Infectious Diseases and Center for Infectious Diseases Research (CIDR), Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, USA., Jamil MS; World Health Organization (WHO), Regional Office for the Easter Mediterranean Region, Turkey., Alaama AS; World Health Organization (WHO), Regional Office for the Easter Mediterranean Region, Turkey., Rizk NA; Division of Infectious Diseases and Center for Infectious Diseases Research (CIDR), Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, USA. Electronic address: nr00@aub.edu.lb.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Journal of infection and public health [J Infect Public Health] 2024 Oct 16; Vol. 17 (11), pp. 102565. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Oct 16.
DOI:	10.1016/j.jiph.2024.102565
Abstrakt:	Introduction: Monkeypox (mpox) is an illness caused by the MPX virus and endemic to certain African countries. Historically, sporadic outbreaks have occurred in some non-endemic areas. In 2022, a new variant emerged, clade IIb, causing a global outbreak sustained within sexual networks among men who have sex with men (MSM). To our knowledge, this is the first multi-country study examining mpox epidemiology and clinical features of the 2022-2023 outbreak caused by clade IIb across the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). Methods: We analyzed datasets of anonymous mpox case-based reports submitted to the World Health Organization (WHO) from May 2022 to December 2023 in the EMR to describe the cumulative incidence, demographics, transmission routes, and clinical outcomes. Results: By the end of 2022, 95 case reports were submitted to the WHO. The first case of mpox was reported in the United Arab Emirates on May 24, 2022. The highest number of cases were reported from Lebanon (27 confirmed cases). Most cases in the EMR were adult males (92 %), 60 % identifying as MSM, and 10 % living with HIV. Most reported symptoms were rash (95.4 %) and fever (69.6 %). No intensive care unit admissions or deaths were reported. Conclusion: In this study we investigated the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and outcomes of the mpox outbreak related to clade IIb in the EMR. We raise concerns about the accuracy and completeness of the data, given that the number of cases reported to the WHO from EMR countries appears to be significantly lower than the number of cases documented within the region. This discrepancy could impact the reliability of the reported figures and the region's response strategies. Despite these challenges, collaborative efforts across EMR countries have laid the groundwork for effective outbreak response, underscoring the importance of ongoing regional cooperation to enhance future preparedness strategies. Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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