Drugmaker Moderna is testing potential monkeypox vaccines in preclinical trials as the disease spreads in the United States and Europe.
At this stage, the trials are carried out in laboratories and do not involve human volunteers.
The World Health Organization said on Tuesday there were 131 confirmed cases of smallpox and 106 other suspected cases since the first was reported on May 7 outside countries where the disease usually spreads.
Sought, the drugmaker did not respond to a request to provide more details about smallpox vaccines.
In a post on Twitter, the company said it was committed to advancing programs against pathogens that could pose a threat to public health. Another post says:
“Underscoring this commitment, and as monkeypox (monkeypox) is of global public health importance as identified by the WHO, we are investigating potential smallpox vaccines at a pre-clinical level.”
Underscoring this commitment, and as #monkeypox is of global public health importance as identified by the @WHOwe are investigating potential monkeypox vaccines at a preclinical level. pic.twitter.com/4VfLrxybNn
— Moderna (@moderna_tx) May 23, 2022
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the government was in the process of releasing doses of a Jynneos smallpox vaccine, made by Bavarian Nordic A/S, for use in smallpox cases.
Characteristics of the disease
Monkeypox (Monkeypox) is a disease transmitted from animals to humans (zoonosis) in the wild. Incidental human infections occur sporadically in forested parts of Central and West Africa.
The disease is caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family, and can be transmitted from person to person by close contact with injuries, body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials such as bedding. The incubation period for monkeypox is usually 6 to 13 days, but can range from 5 to 21 days.
Monkeypox endemic countries are: Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana (identified only in animals), Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Sudan South.
Source: CNN Brasil
