#16,911
We often go months between CDC HAN (Health Alert Network) messages, but this afternoon the CDC released their third HAN Update in just 3 days. While the first dealt with Melioidosis in Mississippi, both yesterday's HAN and today's deal with Monkeypox.
Specifically, today's HAN provides advice for clinicians treating high risk patients with Monkeypox infection; people with HIV, children and adolescents, and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Over the past 24 hours 3 Monkeypox-related deaths have been reported in non-endemic countries (2 in Spain, 1 in Brazil), marking the first reported deaths in this global outbreak.
While 3 deaths out of more than 22,000 cases suggests a very low CFR (Case Fatality Rate), it does remind us that for some people, this infection can produce serious, even fatal, illness.
Due to its length I've only posted the summary. Interested parties will want to follow the link to read it in its entirety, along with the recently updated clinical considerations.
Distributed via the CDC Health Alert Network
July 30, 2022, 1:15 PM ET
CDCHAN-00472
Summary
As of July 29, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local public health partners are reporting 5,189 cases of Monkeypox virus infections in the United States across 47 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. CDC is also reporting multiple outbreaks of monkeypox have also been reported globally in 72 countries that do not normally report monkeypox activity. On Friday, July 22, CDC reported the first two cases of monkeypox in children in the United States during the current outbreak.
This Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Update serves to alert clinicians to clinical considerations for preventing, diagnosing, and managing monkeypox in people with HIV, children, adolescents, and people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Background
Since May 2022, CDC has been urging healthcare providers in the United States to be on alert for patients who have rash illnesses consistent with monkeypox. People with HIV, individuals who are immunocompromised, children, adolescents, and people who are pregnant or breastfeeding may be at risk for increased disease severity and adverse health outcomes associated with monkeypox infection. Clinicians should be familiar with unique clinical considerations for monkeypox in these patient populations. A broad diagnostic approach is encouraged to distinguish Monkeypox virus infection from other causes of fever and rash illness. Testing should be performed on persons for whom monkeypox is suspected based on clinical presentation or epidemiologic criteria. Clinicians should consult their state or territorial health department (State Contacts) or CDC through the CDC Emergency Operations Center (770-488-7100) as soon as monkeypox is suspected.
CDC has issued clinical considerations for monkeypox infection in multiple populations including: people with HIV, children and adolescents, and people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. These newly released clinical considerations complement existing clinical guidance for managing monkeypox and provide information on signs and symptoms of Monkeypox virus infection; pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis; treatment; and infection control in these populations.
