Britain has detected two new cases of the mpox clade Ib variant, bringing the total number of cases of the potentially deadly virus in the country to three.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed this week that the two new cases were household contacts of a first case reported on October 30. The latter had traveled to African countries affected by the epidemic before developing flu-like symptoms followed by a rash which worsened.
Both patients are currently being treated by specialists at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London.
Contacts of the three cases are being followed by UKHSA and partner organisations. All will be offered a test and vaccination if necessary and will be advised on further care to provide if they have symptoms or if the test is positive.
Low overall risk
“The Mpox virus is very contagious in households where there is close contact and it is therefore not surprising to see other cases within the same household,” said the Pre Susan Hopkinschief medical officer of the UKHSA, in a statement.
“The overall risk to the UK population remains low. We are working with our partners to ensure all contacts of cases are identified and contacted to reduce the risk of spread.”
The UKHSA stressed that extensive planning had been put in place to ensure healthcare professionals were equipped and prepared to respond to any new confirmed cases.
In August, as mpox clade Ib spread to the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring countries, the World Health Organization declared mpox a “global health emergency.”
This is a different form of the virus from clade II, of which the UK recorded 3742 confirmed and highly probable cases between 6 May 2022 and 30 April 2023, largely through sexual transmission.
Close contact
The clade Ib variant may spread more easily through close skin-to-skin contact, including within families and among children. It can also be spread through respiratory droplets and through contact with mucous membranes, such as scabs or skin lesions, or with contaminated materials, such as clothing or bedding.
The incubation period for mpox is between 5 and 21 days. Symptoms usually begin with fever, headache, muscle pain, and swollen lymph nodes, followed by a rash that can spread all over the body, including the face, palms of the hands, the soles of the feet and the genitals. The rash usually appears 1 to 5 days after the first symptoms.
Cases of mpox virus clade Ib have been reported in Germany, Sweden, India, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya, as well as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mpox is suspected of causing around 1,000 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo this year, although only 25 cases have been laboratory confirmed.
Antiviral medications for severe cases
Diagnosis requires clinical assessment and specific testing, often carried out in NHS laboratories or the UKHSA’s Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL). Patients with a history of travel or exposure should be promptly screened by the RIPL clinical team and samples sent to determine the clade involved.
Treatment is primarily symptomatic, with most patients recovering within a few weeks. Severe cases or people at high risk may be treated with antiviral drugs such as cidofovir or tecovirimat. The smallpox vaccine helps control epidemics and protect people at high risk.
Prevention of transmission requires rigorous respiratory and contact precautions, especially for suspected or confirmed cases.
This article was translated from Medscape.uk using several editorial tools, including AI, in the process. The content was reviewed by the editorial staff before publication.
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