Health

According to CDC Report, Monkeypox Has ‘Tragic’ Outcomes For HIV Patients

Published

2 years ago

October 27, 2022

According to CDC Report, Monkeypox Has 'Tragic' Outcomes For HIV Patients

(CTN News) – The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that monkeypox can have “devastating outcomes” for patients with severe immunocompromised immune systems, including those with untreated HIV.

According to the latest research published Wednesday in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 82% of patients hospitalized with complications were HIV positive.

CDC Monkeypox Incident Commander Dr. Jonathan Mermin said in a news release that and HIV have collided tragically.

Our report today reminds us that monkeypox and HIV prevention and treatment matter-for people’s lives and public health.”

95% of the patients were male, and most (68%) were black.

Twelve of the patients died while seventeen were hospitalized in the intensive care unit.

There were five cases where was a cause of death or contributed to the death. Six deaths were under investigation to determine if played a causal or contributing role. One death was not caused or influenced by monkeypox.

Physicians are being urged to begin therapies, such as Tpoxx, as soon as possible – even before test results are available and before symptoms worsen.

Tecovirimat, or Tpoxx, is an oral or intravenous drug used to treat monkeypox. The CDC has made the drug available from the Strategic National Stockpile even though it has not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration specifically for use against monkeypox.

According to the researchers, patients with HIV and should also receive antiretroviral therapy. HIV virus levels in a person’s body are suppressed by ART to undetectable levels.

Researchers reported that nearly a quarter of monkeypox cases in this cohort were in unhoused people, and urged collaboration with homeless service providers.

“To end this outbreak, we urgently need healthcare providers, community-based partners, and public health partners to come together to close remaining gaps,” said CDC news release.

The CDC reports 28,061 probable or confirmed cases and six deaths in the US as of Tuesday.

A person with a weakened immune system, such as someone with HIV, is more likely to die from monkeypox than anyone else.

Is monkeypox vaccine safe for HIV?

Post-exposure prophylaxis is available for people exposed to virus and antiviral treatment is available for people with virus Vaccination with JYNNEOS is considered safe for people with HIV, and antiviral treatments for monkeypox have few interactions with antiretroviral therapy.