the High Authority for Health recommends the vaccination of contact cases

Faced with the appearance of several cases of monkeypox around the world, including three in France, the High Authority for Health has recommended vaccinating adults who have had risky contact with a patient, in a notice published on Tuesday 24 may.

This strategy, which also concerns health professionals exposed without personal protection, “seems relevant given the incubation times of the disease and the vaccination strategy adopted in other European countries”, explains the authority. This recommends the use of the 3rd generation vaccine only, “in view of its tolerance profile, better than that of 1st and 2nd generation vaccines, and its effectiveness”.

The first and second generation vaccines have not been used for the general population since 1984, due to the eradication of smallpox. In July 2013, a third generation vaccine was authorized in Europe, which uses a non-replicating live virus (that is to say which does not replicate in the human body). The HAS recommends administering this vaccine “ideally within 4 days after the risky contact and at most 14 days later with a two-dose regimen (or three doses in immunocompromised subjects), spaced 28 days apart”.

It also recommends a more comprehensive response, including “the provision of antiviral treatments not evaluated by the HAS but having a marketing authorization” for monkeypox – which particularly concerns children since the vaccine is not authorized for them. Finally, the HAS judges “it is essential to adopt personal prevention and protection measures”.