« Early diagnosis of mpox allows for rapid treatment and care, as well as control of the virus », Underlines the press release, while the disease has already killed nearly 900 people in Africa since the start of the year.
By putting it on its emergency use list, the WHO allows other UN agencies to distribute it, and assures the health authorities of the affected countries of its effectiveness, which therefore allows it to be accelerated. diffusion.
30 000 cas suspects
« In Africa, testing capacity is limited and delays in confirming cases of mpox persist, contributing to the continued spread of the virus », Explains the World Health Organization.
Mpox, previously called monkeypox, is a viral disease that spreads from animals to humans, but is also transmitted between humans, causing fever, muscle pain and skin lesions.
In 2024, more than 30,000 suspected cases have been reported in Africa, with the highest numbers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Nigeria.
A PCR in the hands of laboratory technicians
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, only 37% of suspected cases have been tested this year.
The WHO-approved test – Alinity mMPXV manufactured by Abbott Molecular Laboratories – is a real-time PCR test that detects the DNA of the virus, both clade (variant) 1 and clade 2 to from human skin lesion swabs.
Like the PCR tests, which punctuated the lives of millions of people at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, it must be used by laboratory technicians.
By detecting DNA from samples of pustular or vesicular eruptions, laboratories and healthcare professionals can confirm suspected cases of mpox effectively and efficiently.
Broadcast access
« This first mpox diagnostic test listed under the emergency use procedure represents an important step in expanding test availability in affected countries said Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products.
« Improving access to quality medical products is at the heart of our efforts to help countries contain the spread of the virus and protect their populations, particularly in underserved regions “, she added.
