New mpox clade Ib disproportionately affects children

Sub: Sci

Sec: Human health

Context:

The ongoing multinational mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) outbreaks continue to be a significant threat to public health systems across the world.

What is Mpox (monkeypox)?

Mpox is a viral zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus which was first recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The emergence of mpox in the DRC is caused by a new clade of the virus, clade Ib, which emerged late last year and is characterized by severe disease and higher mortality.
Broadly, the monkeypox virus has two clades.
Clade I has been present in the DRC for several years causing sporadic outbreaks, while clade II (previously the West African clade) and specifically IIb emerged during the global mpox outbreak that attracted global attention in 2022.
Clade I is known to be associated with severe disease and mortality while clade II, which has a mortality rate of less than 4%.

Why is the outbreak of mpox in the DRC unique?

The outbreak in the DRC is unique in many aspects.
While the initial spread was seemingly through sexual contact, the epidemiology of the disease rapidly shifted to affect children under 15 years who constitute over 60% of all cases and 80% of all deaths, with the largest case fatality rate in children aged less than one year.
A recent preprint analyzing 58 genome sequences of mpox suggests three potential clusters, driving the spread of infection in the DRC
Analyses suggest a significant number of APOBEC3-induced mutations, confirming a significant human-to-human transmission.

What is the treatment for mpox?

There are no specific treatments for monkeypox virus infection.
Early and supportive care is important to help manage symptoms and avoid further problems