The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises healthcare providers and public health officials to stay vigilant for more severe strains of Mpox, specifically focusing on Clade I. This strain, which is more infectious and causes more severe infections than Clade II, has been identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo and linked to the global outbreak of 2022–23 that primarily affected men who have sex with men and other men who engage in sexual activities with men.
The CDC released a travel health advisory, urging travelers heading to the Democratic Republic of Congo to minimize contact with sick individuals, avoid wild animals, and avoid consuming or preparing wild meat.
Mpox viruses can be categorized into clades, with Clade I being distinctively different from Clade II. In the US, no cases of Clade I have been reported. However, the Stamm is spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo through sexually transmitted personal contacts.
The CDC suggests that physicians should still consider Mpox as a potential cause when diagnosing patients with travel history to high-risk areas within the past 21 days. The appearance of Mpox lesions can vary, ranging from small and firm to large and diffuse. Physicians should also test patients for Mpox if they have developed swollen lymph nodes or have traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo within the past 21 days.
Health departments are encouraged to increase monitoring via testing when Clade I is identified in the US. Probes from patients who have traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo should be sent to the CDC as soon as possible. If someone tests positive for Type-I Mpox, the labs should report it to their state health department and the CDC.
Since January, the Democratic Republic of Congo has reported over 12,500 clinically diagnosed but not laboratory-confirmed cases of Mpox, with nearly 600 suspected fatalities.
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[2] Monitoring Mpox (Monkeypox) in the United States,
[3] Information for Health Care Providers,
