CDC widens mpox vaccine recommendations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a health advisory recommending that select travelers to countries where a certain strain of mpox is endemic should be fully vaccinated prior to going

While the agency has already been advising vaccination for those travelling to countries where clade I mpox is endemic, the CDC’s guidance this issued week specifically advises that people who “anticipate certain sexual exposures” while in those countries should be fully vaccinated with two doses of the Jynneos smallpox vaccine.

Mpox has two primary clades, or strains, known as clade I and clade II. Mpox descending from clade II is what spread through Western non-endemic countries in 2022 and is generally less lethal than clade I infections.

The CDC guidance advised that travelers should speak to their providers about immunization if they are travelling to a country where clade I mpox is endemic and they anticipate sex with a new partner; sex at a commercial venue; sex in exchange for money or goods; and sex associated with a large public event.

Countries in Africa where clade I mpox is endemic have been experiencing an outbreak since 2023. As the CDC noted, the western part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and non-endemic, neighboring countries like Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda have been impacted.

The ongoing outbreak has been linked to more than 27,000 likely cases and over 1,300 deaths.

Mpox is spread primarily through physical contact with those who are infected. The symptoms of mpox are flu-like including fever, chills, muscle ache, swollen lymph nodes as well as the characteristic rash that can manifest as painful blisters that scab over.

Cases of clade I mpox have been detected outside of Africa have been reported, including cases in Sweden and Thailand. The World Health Organization declared the situation a global health emergency last month.

The White House on Tuesday announced it is prepared to donate up to one million doses of mpox vaccines and $500 million in aid to support African countries in their response to the outbreak.

“Now we face the mpox outbreak in Central and Eastern Africa. Mpox is different from COVID-19. But we will act quickly — and bring partners with us,” President Biden wrote in a statement. “We are prepared to commit at least $500 million — to support African countries to prevent and respond to mpox and donate up to one million doses of mpox vaccines.”