Antiviral tecovirimat effective in treatment of monkeypox symptoms: Study
Calfornia (US), August 30: A recent study has shown that treating skin lesions and symptoms of monkeypox with the antiviral tecovirimat is both safe and effective.
The study is one of the first to evaluate and discuss the outcomes of using this antiviral medication to treat monkeypox patients.
Tecovirimat (TPOXX) is an antiviral drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of smallpox. It limits viral spread within the body by interfering with the function of the protein involved in the release of the enveloped virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has approved the compassionate use of tecovirimat to treat adults and children with orthopoxvirus infections, including monkeypox.
In a research letter published in the journal JAMA, infectious disease experts from UC Davis provided information on 25 monkeypox patients who received tecovirimat therapy.
"On the use of tecovirimat for monkeypox infection, we have a minimal amount of clinical information. There is still a lot to learn about the disease's typical course and how tecovirimat and other antivirals might impact it," stated Angel Desai, the lead author.
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Tecovirimat for the treatment of monkeypox
As of August 22, 2022, there had been about 45,500 cases of monkeypox globally. According to a recent study, 13% of patients needed medical attention, despite the fact that symptoms usually heal on their own in 2-4 weeks.
Patients referred to UC Davis Medical Center, mostly by the Sacramento County Department of Public Health, were included in the new study between June 3 and August 13, 2022.
Oral tecovirimat was given to individuals who had skin lesions on multiple body parts or in sensitive areas such as the face or genital area. A high-fat meal should be eaten within 30 minutes of the weight-based treatment, and it should be repeated every 8 or 12 hours.
Clinical data were collected by in-person or telephone interviews at the initial in-person assessment for treatment, as well as on days 7 and 21 after the start of therapy.
The tecovirimat therapy regimen was finished by 25 patients with a confirmed monkeypox infection. They were all men, between the ages of 27 and 76. HIV was detected in 9 patients.
After symptoms appeared, four patients received a dose of JYNNEOS vaccination, while only one patient received the smallpox vaccine (taken more than 25 years ago).
"When evaluating the data, we must exercise utmost caution. It can be difficult to distinguish between side effects caused by therapy and those caused by an infection, " co-author and infectious disease expert George Thompson said.
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-PTC News with ANI inputs
