Mpox Vaccination for Vulnerable Populations

CE / CME

Protection Beyond Outbreaks: Routine Mpox Vaccination for Vulnerable Populations

Nurses: 1.00 Nursing contact hour

Pharmacists: 1.00 contact hour (0.1 CEUs)

Physicians: maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit

Released: July 17, 2024

Expiration: July 16, 2025

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Mpox 2022-2024 Outbreak: Cumulative Cases

Aniruddha Hazra, MD:
Although the public health emergency for mpox ended in May 2023,4 we are still seeing approximately 200 cases per month in the United States, suggesting that is it becoming endemic here. So, mpox has not gone away. It is certainly not having the same degree of impact that it was having 2 years ago, but there is still work to be done.

In general, there is still a disproportionate number of mpox cases occurring in people living with HIV. As a result, they continue to be the highest priority population in my clinical practice. We continue active outreach to people living with HIV who are not vaccinated for mpox to facilitate access because mpox morbidity has been substantial in that group, particularly for advanced HIV, as we discussed.

Carlos del Rio, MD, FIDSA:
Absolutely. It is also important to test for HIV in individuals with mpox so that they can be linked with HIV care to initiate antiretroviral therapy and reach viral suppression. This will help to improve the HIV cascade of care, which is not optimal in the United States. The percentage of people living with HIV who are virally suppressed in the United States is still only approximately 67%. We need to do better than that. Therefore, the mpox outbreak provides another opportunity to work on engagement in care to also address the HIV epidemic.

Click for audio from Aniruddha Hazra, MD.