On the 29th local time, the World Health Organization issued a disease information circular, which assessed the global public health risk of monkeypox as "medium"** The circular said that from May 13 to 26, 23 non monkeypox endemic countries and regions reported 257 confirmed cases of monkeypox to the who, and about 120 suspected cases. No deaths have been reported. Who added that more monkeypox cases would be detected as the surveillance scope expanded. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cross-border outbreak of monkeypox and its high human to human transmission characteristics have attracted worldwide attention.
Our reporter Fan Wei, Zhang Changyue, yinyeping
On the 30th, litaisheng, director of the Infectious Medicine Department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, told the global times that there were various potential reasons for the cross continent prevalence of monkeypox. In addition to the outbreak in a specific population caused by individual characteristics and behavior patterns, and the factors that enhance the infectivity caused by virus mutation, it may also be because the immunity of monkeypox virus in the population is reduced after the smallpox vaccination is stopped. Litaisheng said that with the suspension of the global smallpox vaccination program, the number of people who have not been vaccinated with smallpox vaccine has gradually expanded in the past 40 years, and the specific immunity of people who have been vaccinated with smallpox vaccine has gradually decreased over time. Therefore, the number of people susceptible to monkeypox has continued to expand.
There are no reports of monkeypox cases in China, and monkeypox virus has not been detected in wild animals or entry quarantine. Previously, tanwenjie, a researcher of the Institute for viral disease prevention and control of the China Center for Disease Control and prevention, and chief scientist of the national key R & D project "cross species infection and transmission mechanism of important zoonotic viral diseases", said in an interview that China has not reported the discovery of monkeypox cases or the discovery of the virus in animal hosts, so the current focus is on external defense input.
Tan Wenjie said that after the outbreak of monkeypox in the United States in 2003, in order to prevent the import of the epidemic, the former General Administration of quality supervision, inspection and Quarantine issued a notice to strictly quarantine personnel from the epidemic area and take necessary prevention and control measures for suspected monkeypox patients, such as prohibiting the entry of rodents and primates from the epidemic area that may spread monkeypox virus; Goods from epidemic areas shall be subject to strict quarantine inspection, sanitary supervision and necessary deratization. Therefore, monkeypox is unlikely to be introduced by animals carried by inbound passengers. However, the quarantine personnel at the port should not relax and should strictly quarantine the personnel, animals, vehicles, containers, goods and postal parcels from the monkeypox epidemic area.
Litaisheng believes that with the recovery of global travel and trade, the possibility of finding imported cases in China cannot be ruled out. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen border quarantine and develop a standardized monitoring system. "Monkeypox has a high risk of transmission in close contact and high-risk groups, but the risk of transmission in the general population is low, and the possibility of a global pandemic is extremely low."
On May 30, the General Administration of Customs issued a circular saying that recently, monkeypox cases have been reported in many countries around the world, and the national customs port health quarantine will continue to do a good job in "common prevention of multiple diseases" to prevent the superposition of epidemics. Health declaration and other health quarantine measures will be strictly implemented for entry personnel; We will strengthen the quarantine of imported goods, consignments and rodents, strengthen joint prevention and control by multiple departments, and strictly prevent the risk of epidemic import.
According to the reporter of the global times, at present, China has established a variety of gene detection technologies that can be used for early diagnosis of monkeypox, which can quickly screen monkeypox virus. Tan Wenjie introduced that, for example, the fluorescent quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction detection technology can make early screening and diagnosis of monkeypox virus within 3 hours. Combined with the new generation sequencing method, it can not only identify whether the sample is monkeypox virus or other pox viruses (such as smallpox virus, cowpox virus, etc.) within 24 hours, but also trace the source and transmission chain of monkeypox virus. In addition, tanwenjie also revealed that the China CDC has formulated the technical plan for emergency response to monkeypox epidemic, stored monkeypox molecular detection reagents, and conducted training on monkeypox nucleic acid PCR detection for disease control professionals in various provinces and cities.
The monkeypox virus nucleic acid detection kit (fluorescent PCR method) developed by shuoshi biology, a Chinese biotechnology company engaged in the research and development of diagnostic reagents, recently obtained the EU CE qualification. In an interview with the global times, the relevant person in charge of the company said that the product will be listed and sold in 27 EU Member States and countries and regions that recognize the EU CE qualification. At present, the product has received urgent orders from many countries, and nearly 100000 copies of reagent will be sent to more than 50 countries and regions around the world. At the same time, the product has also started to apply for registration in several monkeypox epidemic areas.
Another testing kit R & D company, Shengxiang biology, told the global times that Spain, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa and other countries have the intention to order the monkeypox virus nucleic acid testing kit developed by the company, and some countries have already made certain orders. The ordered kits are mainly used for emergency reserves.
In the face of monkeypox virus, which is very similar to smallpox virus in antigenicity, biological characteristics, morphology and structure, are the vaccines we used to fight smallpox virus still effective? Litaisheng said that previous studies have shown that smallpox vaccination has about 85% protective effect on monkeypox. In 2019, the US Food and drug administration also approved the third generation highly attenuated smallpox vaccine for the prevention of adult smallpox and monkeypox. Tanwenjie also believes that the similarity between smallpox virus and monkeypox virus can form cross immunization. Therefore, for people at high risk of infection or in areas where the epidemic is imported, emergency vaccination can be carried out timely and on demand after the risk is determined. "China has long-term emergency reserve of smallpox vaccine, which can provide millions of smallpox vaccines for emergency vaccination at any time."
Feng Duojia, President of China Vaccine Industry Association, said in response to the inquiry of the global times that it is not sure whether China will develop monkeypox vaccine, but if it is necessary, it is not too difficult from a technical point of view. "The relevant technologies were available decades ago, and now they will only be more advanced. Whether it is necessary to develop monkeypox vaccine depends on the specific situation."
Jiangchunlai, a professor of the school of life sciences of Jilin University, told the global times that if necessary, China is more likely to restart the vaccine against smallpox virus rather than develop a vaccine against monkeypox virus. Because the special research and development of the vaccine against monkeypox virus takes a long time and has great uncertainty, it is feasible to choose a technically mature smallpox vaccine to prevent monkeypox. Jiangchunlai said that at present, the public should not worry too much about the monkeypox epidemic. Reducing the number of people gathered, wearing masks, washing hands frequently, avoiding contact with wild animals and eating raw meat can effectively reduce the risk of infection. ▲