Antiviral drugs may reduce Monkeypox symptoms – Study

UK, SWITZERLAND: A study in the Lancet Infectious Diseases journal on Tuesday has revealed that some antiviral medications might have the potential to shorten symptoms of Monkeypox and reduce the amount of time a patient is contagious. The study comprised seven patients diagnosed with the rare viral disease in the UK between 2018 and 2021.

The cases analysed in the study represent the first instances of in-hospital transmission and household transmission outside of Africa.

Meanwhile, the study also reported the patient response to the first off-label use of two different antiviral medications — brincidofovir and tecovirimat — to treat the disease.

The study found little evidence that brincidofovir was of clinical benefit but concluded that further research into the potential of tecovirimat would be warranted. Moreover, the researchers also report detection of monkeypox virus in blood and throat swabs.

“As public health officials are trying to understand what is causing the May 2022 monkeypox outbreaks in Europe and North America — which have affected several patients who reported neither travel nor an identified link to a previously known case — our study offers some of the first insights into the use of antivirals for the treatment of monkeypox in humans,” said Hugh Adler of the Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK. Meanwhile, Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche said Wednesday it had come up with PCR tests that can detect monkeypox, as the virus spreads outside endemic countries.

Roche said the research test kits could assess the spread of the virus and help monitor the potential impact of treatments, vaccines and public health measures.

The WHO says a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test is the “preferred laboratory test given its accuracy and sensitivity”. For this, optimal samples are from skin lesions and dry crusts. – FINANCIAL EXPRESS, PTI, THE MALAY MAIL