Top in ID: CDC issues mpox virus alert; flu vaccines have ‘moderate’ efficacy

The CDC has issued a health advisory to physicians in the United States about clade I mpox virus, which is more transmissible than the clade IIb mpox virus behind last year’s global outbreak.

Clade I, a strain of mpox virus previously associated with nonsexual routes of transmission, is spreading through sexual contact in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to WHO.

“Given that there is ongoing human-to-human transmission in the DRC, and likely other neighboring countries, it is only a matter of time before cases begin occurring regularly in other parts of the world,” Jay K. Varma, MD, executive vice president and chief medical officer at SIGA Technologies, told Healio.

Although the threat for U.S. travelers is low, the CDC still advises clinicians to notify their health departments of any patient with mpox-like symptoms.

It was the top story in infectious disease last week.

In another top story, researchers determined that influenza vaccine effectiveness during the 2022-2023 influenza season was “moderate” for U.S. adults, but the vaccines reduced their risk for having a health care visit by 35% to 44%.

Read these and more top stories in infectious disease below:

‘Only a matter of time’ before mpox strain in Congo spreads

Last week, the CDC issued a health advisory to physicians in the U.S. about a more transmissible strain of mpox virus spreading in the DRC and asked them to consider mpox when evaluating rashes. Read more.

Flu vaccine had ‘moderate’ effectiveness during 2022-2023 season

Influenza vaccine efficacy during the 2022-2023 influenza season was “moderate” but still prevented many health care encounters and hospitalizations among adult patients, researchers determined. Read more.

Moderna’s mRNA-based RSV vaccine safe, effective for older adults

Moderna’s messenger RNA-based respiratory syncytial virus vaccine was safe and reduced RSV-related disease among older adults in a phase 2/3 trial, according to data published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Read more.

Health workers report errors in infection prevention during height of COVID-19

In a survey of health care personnel, one-third of registered nurses and more than one-quarter of physicians reported making at least one error in adhering to guidance for personal protective equipment in the previous 2 weeks. Read more.

HARVI incidence nearly 3 times higher among pediatric patients than adults

The incidence of hospital-associated respiratory virus infections was higher among pediatric patients compared with adult patients, according to a study of patients at University of Michigan hospitals. Read more.