French Mpox Cluster Alarms Health Experts Concerned About Mutation

"An investigation has been launched in France after 59 per cent of people in a new monkeypox cluster claimed to be fully vaccinated," writes The Telegraph.

Vaccination does not fully protect an individual against the virus. "[U]sually only 25 per cent of French cases are in vaccinated individuals."

But the "high vaccine rate in the Centre-Val de Loire cluster – 10 of 17 – has sparked fears of a mutation," adds the Telegraph.

"Monkeypox – now officially named mpox – causes a blistering rash, fever, chills, exhaustion, and muscle aches. It is passed from person to person through close physical contact, and touching infected clothing, bedding or towels. While most commonly found in west and central Africa, the disease made headlines in 2022 when an outbreak was declared across Europe and the US."

There have been 25,843 cases across Europe since last Spring, mostly among men who have sex with men. Across the world, there have been 85,000 cases reported in locales with no historical association with the disease. Those affected in the current French cluster are all men between 24 and 56 years of age.

"No parties or events common to the cases have been identified," the French health authority said. "No person has required hospitalisation."

Michael Marks, Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told the Telegraph the cause could be from a number of reasons. "First we need to understand when these individuals were vaccinated and with what dose," Dr Marks said. "We know it takes a number of weeks for the body to mount a response and that translates to protection. When did they have the vaccine?"

The health authority also needs a better understanding of the makeup of the cluster, he said.

"Is the group different in some way? Is there any reason they may not have responded to the vaccine well?" Dr Michael asked. "A large proportion of mpox has occurred in people with HIV. HIV may modify how effective the vaccine is. We don't know the HIV status of this cluster at the moment."

"If these options are ruled out, Dr Marks said that the health authority will then assess whether there has been a mutation in the virus which has affected the effectiveness of the vaccine," adds the Telegraph.