Mpox vaccination begins in March in Brazil; see who can be immunized

The vaccination against mpox , a disease formerly named monkeypox, is expected to start on Monday, March 13th. The information was confirmed to CNN by the secretary of Health and Environment Surveillance of the Ministry of Health, Ethel Maciel.

A CNN , the ministry confirmed that immunization will be aimed at people at greater risk of developing serious forms of the disease. According to the folder, the strategy and the priority public for vaccination were agreed with the states and municipalities.

Can be vaccinated people living with HIV/AIDS who have an immunological status identified by a CD4 T lymphocyte count of less than 200 cells in the last six months. The condition of low immunity increases the risks of worsening the disease. According to the ministry, this audience currently represents around 16,000 people across the country.

Will also be immunized professionals working in laboratories in contact with the virus , as a preventive measure. For pre-exposure vaccination, a 30-day break with any previously administered vaccine is recommended.

In addition to these, it is also planned to vaccination for people who had direct contact with the body fluids and secretions of suspected or confirmed cases for the disease, as post-exposure prophylaxis. In these situations, whose main objective is to block transmission, the recommendation is that the application be carried out regardless of the prior administration of any immunizer.

The MVA-BN vaccine, also called Jynneos, Imvamune or Imvanex, is produced by the Danish company Bavarian Nordic, and is one of the main immunizers marketed and already in use in part of Europe and the United States in the current outbreak of the disease.

Epidemiological scenario

The latest epidemiological data from the World Health Organization (WHO) suggest that the outbreak is on its way to an end in the European region and slowing down in the Americas region, where person-to-person transmission occurs.

In the African region, where infection also occurs through contact with infected animals, the epidemic curve shows a more sustained transmission, reflecting mixed patterns of transmission between people through direct or sexual contact, as well as outbreaks due to animal contagion.

From January 2022 to February 27 of this year, a total of 86,173 cases and 100 deaths were laboratory confirmed in 110 countries.

According to the Ministry of Health, the current epidemiological scenario shows a progressive decrease in the number of cases in Brazil. The main strategy for containing the disease is case identification and contact tracing. In view of this, the vaccination strategy at this time will prioritize the protection of people at greater risk of developing serious forms of the disease.

The first vaccines against the disease arrived in the country on October 4, totaling 9,800 doses. In all, the Ministry of Health purchased about 50,000 doses via a revolving fund from the Pan American Health Organization (Opas). A CNN asked the folder about the delay in starting the application. In a note, the ministry stated:

“For the action, the Ministry of Health will distribute to the states about 47,000 doses of vaccine received by the past management, but without use or strategy for use. Doses will be sent according to the progress of vaccination and in accordance with requests from the states and the Federal District”.

About the Jynneos vaccine

Considered third-generation, the Jynneos vaccine has an improved safety profile and is less likely to cause adverse reactions. The formulation uses attenuated strains of the modified vaccinia virus of the Ankara strain, which is related to the smallpox virus.

The immunizer is intended for adults aged 18 or over, with a recommended schedule of two doses to be administered four weeks apart. The vaccine has a shelf life of up to 60 months when stored between -60 and -40°C.

Bavarian Nordic’s vaccine was licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a body similar to Anvisa in the United States, for the prevention of infection with the Mpox virus.

The vaccine has been approved in the European Union since 2013 for the prevention of common smallpox. In July, the Committee for Human Medicines (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended extending the vaccine indication to include protection of adults against Mpox.

In the United States, the CDC recommends that MVA-BN doses should be prioritized for those people who are at risk of severe monkeypox disease (such as people with HIV or other immune-compromising conditions).