Mpox, the smallpox-related infection that exploded in 2022, was linked to 38 US deaths over the past year, most of them among young Black men, who also received vaccines at low rates.
(Bloomberg) — Mpox, the smallpox-related infection that exploded in 2022, was linked to 38 US deaths over the past year, most of them among young Black men, who also received vaccines at low rates.
About 95%, or 36, of the deaths occurred in men and 33 of the total were Black, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spanning from May 2022 to March 2023.
Black and Hispanic males also had a higher unmet need for vaccines, according to a separate study in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, with only about nine Black males were vaccinated per mpox case in the same population.
By comparison, nearly 43 White males were vaccinated per case of the disease.
More than 30,000 mpox cases were reported in the US through March, the vast majority of them in adult men. Gender and racial disparities in mpox infections and deaths parallel those for HIV and underscore the need for better access to vaccination and treatment, according to the report Thursday.
The median time from the first sign of symptoms to death was 68 days, researchers said.
While most patients were treated promptly, nearly a quarter experienced delays between diagnosis and treatment. Nearly all deaths were among people whose immune systems were weakened by HIV, highlighting the need for better care of the highly treatable disease.
Mpox, which can cause complications like vision loss and dangerous reactions to infection called sepsis, was primarily reported among men who had recent sexual contact with another man, the CDC said.
Earlier known as monkeypox, it’s largely transmitted through close contact with infected lesions or bodily fluids and began spreading globally last year. Health officials changed the name to reduce the stigma that can result when diseases are associated with animals.
The illness can cause fever, sores and rashes, as well as complications like pneumonia and skin infections.
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