In Africa, a more severe variant of monkeypox, known as clade I, is causing concern among infectious disease experts. Despite being identified as a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization, experts believe that the risk of widespread transmission in the U.S. is low due to factors such as vaccination immunity and better healthcare and living standards.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has upgraded the risk level for clade I in Europe from “very low” to “low”, warning about potential imported cases. While there have been no reported cases of clade I in the U.S. so far, experts anticipate that cases may eventually appear.
Research on clade I has shown that the antiviral TPOXX did not reduce symptom duration but did lower the death rate among participants compared to the typical rate in Africa. The CDC continues to monitor the situation closely and encourages the vaccination of individuals at risk of contracting monkeypox.
Although transmission of the virus has mainly occurred through sexual contact, experts believe that differences in sexual behavior between African and Western populations may limit the spread of the disease. However, concerns remain about the potential for immunity from previous infections to wane over time or for the virus to mutate and evade defenses.
Overall, experts emphasize the need for vigilance and caution, as the situation surrounding clade I monkeypox is still evolving.
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