First case of severe mox illness reported in major city: life-threatening

The first case of severe mpox (formerly monkeypox) was identified in New York City, according to an advisory issued by the New York City Department of Health.

One resident tested positive for mpox clade I, one of the two major genetic groups (clades) of the mpox virus, which causes the disease.

“Clade I causes more severe symptoms and can be life-threatening,” Dr. Marc Siegel, News senior medical analyst, told News Digital. “It spreads through direct contact or sex, kissing and very close respiratory droplets, but not over longer distances through respiratory spread.”

MPOX STRAIN APART IN US WITHOUT INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL, INCREASING FEARS OF A WIDER OUTBREAK

Clade II was the strain that caused a global outbreak in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Survival rates for this type are more than 99.9%.

Clade I, responsible for the 2024 outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Africa, is known to cause more severe illness and death.

The New York City patient recently traveled out of the country, the notice states. “This appears to have arrived here through travel and has not spread locally,” Siegel said.

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There is no known local transmission of mpox clade I in New York City and the risk remains low for local residents, according to Dr. Alister Martin, New York City Health Commissioner.

“The New York City Department of Health recommends that New Yorkers who are at risk for mpox receive and complete the two-dose vaccine series that works to prevent mpox,” it said in a statement.

To help prevent transmission, CDC recommends vaccination for men who are gay, bisexual, or have sex with men, who are 18 years of age or older and have other specific risks. Those planning to travel to areas where the I mpox clade is spreading should also seek the vaccine.

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People who have been in close contact with an infected person should receive the vaccine within 14 days.

As with other viral infections, people who are immunocompromised or those who are very young are at greatest risk for severe infection.

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According to experts, vaccination can help reduce the chances of infection and also make symptoms less severe. The two-dose JYNNEOS vaccine is the most common type of protection. Those who have had mpox do not need to be vaccinated.

Symptoms of Mpox include a blistering, sometimes painful rash on various parts of the body, fever, chills, exhaustion, muscle aches, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and respiratory symptoms, according to the CDC. These symptoms usually appear one to three weeks after exposure.

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In rare cases, mpox can cause eye infections, severe rash, painful skin lesions, and neurological problems.

Treatment for mpox involves supportive care to control symptoms. In severe cases, patients may receive TPOXX (tecovirimat), an antiviral drug used to treat infections caused by smallpox-related viruses, including mpox, Siegel noted.