Two cases of possibly more severe mpox strain confirmed in Los Angeles County

Two cases of the potentially more serious strain of mpox were confirmed in Los Angeles County this week.

This is the first time this particular type of mpox, known as “clade I,” has been found in the United States among people with no history of travel to high-risk areas.

The first case was published TuesdayLong Beach residents were involved. Second, reported Thursday was a resident of Los Angeles County. Health officials said the two patients had to be hospitalized but are now recovering at home.

“While the overall risk of exposure to the public remains low, we are taking this very seriously,” Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. “This highlights the importance of continued surveillance, early response and vaccination.”

This type of mpox is different from the generated one global pandemic In 2022, it will be known as “Clade II.”

But clade I is potentially even more concerning, as it “involves close personal contact” such as massages and hugging in addition to sex, causes more severe disease, and can spread more easily, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said.

“The identification of cases of clade I mpox, which can cause more severe disease than the more common clade II, is concerning,” Los Angeles County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said in a statement Thursday.

The California Department of Public Health said last year that clade I has historically caused more severe disease than clade II; added “Recent infections caused by clade I mpox may not be as clinically severe as previous outbreaks, especially if patients have access to high-quality health care.”

MPOX, formerly known as monkeypox, is primarily transmitted through bodily fluids, sores, close contact such as sharing bedding or clothing, kissing, coughing and sneezing, according to health authorities.

According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, obvious symptoms include “rashes or pimples on the face, body, or genitals, unusual pain, such as pus-filled blisters, fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, and swollen lymph nodes.” Other symptoms may include a sore throat.

“Anyone who develops an unexplained rash or lesions should avoid sex and close contact and seek medical attention as soon as possible,” the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement.

If you have symptoms, you should get tested, officials said. People with symptoms should also avoid sexual activity and close contact.

Clade II mpox generally causes mild to moderate illness and has been circulating at low levels across the United States since 2022, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

There have been 118 cases of clade II mpox reported to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health so far this year.

Until this week, there were a total of 6 cases. case All cases of clade I mpox in the United States occurred among people who had recently traveled to areas where this type of mpox is endemic, namely central and eastern Africa. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the cases were not related to each other.

According to the CDC, more is happening than ever before. Clade I mpox 40,000 cases in central and eastern Africa.

In addition to sexual contact, multiple clade I mpox transmission routes have been documented in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of the countries with confirmed cases, including “contact with infected dead or live wild animals” and “household contact, often involving crowded households.” According to CDC.

These countries in central and eastern Africa have reported clade I mpox cases since 2024.

(U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

The risk of clade I mpox to the general U.S. population is “low,” the CDC says. The agency classifies gay and bisexual men who have sex with multiple partners as “low to moderate” risk.

Travel-associated clade I mpox cases have also been found in many other regions of the world, including Asia, Australia, Europe, and South America.

The first clade I mpox incident in the United States was reported 11 months ago – A California resident who traveled to Africa and was treated in San Mateo County, according to the CDC. California Department of Public Health. The person had mild symptoms, according to the San Mateo County Health Department. said at that time.

The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services said most infected people recover within two to four weeks, but “antiviral treatment may be considered for those who have severe disease or are at risk of developing severe disease.”

Two-dose Jynneos vaccine It can also be used to prevent the spread of mpox.

According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, people who have only received one dose can receive a second dose “no matter how long it has been since their first dose.”

The vaccine is widely available and can be found at pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS. People can search for locations to get vaccinated through the vaccine manufacturer. nordic bavaria. LA County Department of Public Health also maintain List of vaccination sites.

The vaccine is available to people at high risk of getting the disease, such as people who have been in contact with an infected person in the past two weeks.

Gay and bisexual people and other men who have sex with men are also eligible for vaccination. Transgender, nonbinary, or gender diverse people. HIV infected person. People who are eligible or who are taking medications to prevent HIV infection through sex or injecting drugs. People traveling to sub-Saharan Africa or clade I mpox endemic areas. People who plan to attend commercial sex events or venues such as sex clubs or bathhouses. People who have sexual partners who are at high risk of infection. and others who wish to receive the mpox vaccination.

Officials are also recommending that people who are at risk of occupational exposure, such as certain laboratory workers, also get vaccinated.