Skip to main content

© All rights reserved. Powered by YOOtheme.

Monkeypox Updates: Vaccine Information and Campaign to Rename Virus

Written on .

If you feel like the amount of attention being paid to the current global monkeypox viral outbreak has crescendoed in recent weeks, you are right. The monkeypox virus, which has been endemic to certain areas of Africa for decades, has been transmitting in unusual places, and many public health systems are bracing themselves for what comes next. 

Here’s what you need to know about the current monkeypox outbreak, including where the United States currently stands, vaccine information, and the campaign to rename the virus. 

How Have Global and Domestic Public Health Systems Been Responding to the Virus? 

In mid-May, public health experts began identifying cases of monkeypox in countries outside of the region in Africa where it typically causes periodic outbreaks. As the summer went on, more and more cases were identified, and, in mid-July, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. A few states in the United States (New York, Illinois, California) also began declaring public health emergencies, and, on August 4, 2022, the Biden administration announced its classification of the current monkeypox outbreak as a public health emergency. By classifying the viral outbreak as such, more resources can be made available to ramp up the speed of the response of health systems, from surveillance to vaccine production and distribution. 

What Vaccines Are Available to Prevent Monkeypox Virus? 

Because the monkeypox virus is not novel, when it began spreading outside of Africa a few months ago, vaccines had already been developed e to help prevent the virus if given before exposure, and attenuate the virus if given after exposure. Two vaccines, ACAM2000and JYNNEOSTM (Imvamune or Imvanex), are currently FDA-licensed to protect people from the monkeypox virus. 

ACAM2000 Vaccine 

This is a live vaccine that is given as a skin prick into the surface of the skin. After it has been administered, a lesion will grow at the injection site. Because this is a live vaccine, the virus that is growing in that lesion can be spread to other areas of the body or to other people, so those who receive this vaccine may be very cautious about their physical contact with others. It is also not recommended for people with certain health conditions, such as an immunosuppressed state. 

JYNNEOSTM (Imvamune or Imvanex) Vaccine 

This vaccine also uses a live virus; however, it is non-replicating. It is given as two injections underneath the surface of the skin, given four weeks apart. Unlike the ACAM2000, there is no visible lesion that develops after vaccination, so it is not possible to spread the virus to others through physical contact. For this reason, it may be safer for use in certain immunosuppressed populations. 

Who Should Get Vaccinated? 

As of the end of July 2022, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that only certain populations that are at the highest risk of contracting the virus consider vaccination against monkeypox. 

These groups include: 

  • People who have had close contact with someone with monkeypox, as identified through a public health case investigation 
  • People with a sexual partner who has had monkeypox within the past 2 weeks 
  • People who have had multiple sexual partners in the past two weeks in a geographic area that has a known spread of monkeypox 
  • Laboratory workers who perform testing for orthopoxviruses, or handle orthopoxvirus cultures or infected animals 
  • Healthcare or public health workers who are closely involved in monkeypox detection 

What Is the Current Status of the U.S. Monkeypox Vaccine Supply? 

According to the CDC, there is currently a limited supply of the JYNNEOSTM vaccine, though 786,000 additional doses will soon be available in the United States. The United States has a larger supply of the ACAM2000 vaccine; however, this vaccine is not recommended to be used in people who have weakened immune systems or certain skin conditions. While the vaccine is FDA-approved to prevent monkeypox, and ACAM2000 (which is used for smallpox prevention) has been made available to prevent monkeypox under an Expanded Access Investigational New Drug application, no data is currently available about the effectiveness of either of these vaccines within the context of the current outbreak. Because the supply is limited, if you or someone you love is looking for a monkeypox vaccine, it may be easiest to contact your local primary care clinic or public health department for the most up-to-date information in your area. 

Efforts to Rename the Monkeypox Virus 

As the current monkeypox outbreak has developed, many advocates within the public health community, including the commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, have drawn attention to the fact that the very name “monkeypox” carries with it a stigma and can be seen as evoking a painful and racist history for communities of color. Additionally, the name is misleading, as the virus does not originate in monkeys, and it certainly does not spread from humans engaging in sexual activity with monkeys.  

On August 12, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a statement saying, “A group of global experts convened by WHO has agreed on new names for monkeypox virus variants, as part of ongoing efforts to align the names of the monkeypox disease, virus and variants—or clades—with current best practices. The experts agreed to name the clades using Roman numerals. 

“The group reached consensus on new nomenclature for the virus clades that is in line with best practices. They agreed on how the virus clades should be recorded and classified on genome sequence repository sites. 

“Consensus was reached to now refer to the former Congo Basin (Central African) clade as Clade one (I) and the former West African clade as Clade two (II). Additionally, it was agreed that the Clade II consists of two subclades.” 

To learn more about the ongoing outbreak, check out the latest updates from the CDC. 

References: 

[1] U.S. declares monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-declare-monkeypox-public-health-emergency-washington-post-2022-08-04/ 

[2] Vaccine considerations. https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/considerations-for-monkeypox-vaccination.html 

[3] Vaccines. https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/vaccines.html 

[4] An additional 786,000 monkeypox vaccine doses will soon be available in the United States. https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/27/health/fda-more-monkeypox-vaccines/index.html 

[5] Letter to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO. https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/press/2022/advocacy-letter-monkeypox-name-who-07262022.pdf 

[6] The campaign to rename monkeypox gets complicated. https://www.statnews.com/2022/08/01/the-campaign-to-rename-monkeypox-gets-complicated/