Treatment and Vaccination for Smallpox and Monkeypox.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review without systematic search or original human data
PubMed 38801586 · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-57165-7_19
What was done
This narrative review summarizes the clinical presentation of smallpox and mpox (monkeypox) along with preventative and therapeutic countermeasures. It outlines active vaccines (ACAM2000, LC16m8, Modified Vaccinia Ankara [MVA], VACΔ6, TNX-801), antivirals (cidofovir, brincidofovir, tecovirimat, NIOCH-14, ST-357), and passive immunization with vaccinia immune globulin intravenous (VIGIV).
What was found
The abstract reports no empirical numbers or quantitative effect estimates. It notes qualitatively that antigenic similarities among orthopoxviruses allow vaccines (LC16m8, MVA) and antivirals (brincidofovir, tecovirimat) to be deployed in mpox outbreaks with positive preliminary data, while emphasizing the risk of viral drug resistance to cidofovir and tecovirimat.
Why it matters
Because universal smallpox vaccination ended in the 1980s, maintaining and expanding a pipeline of cross-reactive orthopoxvirus therapeutics and vaccines remains critical for mpox control and biodefense preparedness.
Limits
This is a non-systematic narrative review providing broad descriptive overview. The abstract provides no primary data, comparative trial outcomes, sample sizes, or quantitative safety and efficacy metrics.
Cited by
- supports Smallpox is completely extinct globally as a disease in nature.