Monkeypox Strain Clade-1: A new disease called Monkeypox is spreading rapidly across the African continent. The World Health Organization (WHO) has described this disease as quite concerning. It is feared that at the rate it is spreading, its outbreak could become similar to COVID-19 in the coming days. Now, another alarming revelation has come to light. It has been found that the antiviral drug Tecovirimat is not showing much effect on the Clade-1 strain of Monkeypox. Over 18,700 cases of this strain have been reported in Africa. It is noteworthy that Tecovirimat was used to control the previous wave of Monkeypox in 2022-23. According to new research, patients with this new strain are not getting relief from this drug.
This antiviral drug is also known as TPOXX. Scientists were researching whether this drug could stop the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where most cases of the Clade-1 strain are being reported. Tecovirimat was originally developed for the treatment of smallpox and has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is believed that there is a relationship between smallpox and Monkeypox. However, it has now been found that Monkeypox is more dangerous than smallpox. Tecovirimat is no longer proving effective in treating this disease. The latest figures have been released by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
#FPWorld: Latest research has shown that the antiviral drug tecovirimat, that was used in the last global mpox outbreak, didn’t make a noticeable difference in how long the lesions lasted for people infected with the Clade 1 strain of mpox virus.https://t.co/o14OmpaJYU
— Firstpost (@firstpost) August 17, 2024
Reduction in Mortality Rate Due to Antiviral Drug
According to NIAID Director Jean Marrazzo, the recent findings are disappointing. There is a need to develop more drugs for Monkeypox. Studies on the use of Tecovirimat for other diseases are also ongoing. This drug has led to a decrease in the mortality rate. It is effective in preventing Monkeypox and other suspected diseases. According to the recent report, 67% of suspected DRC Monkeypox cases and 78% of other suspected cases (under 15 years of age) have resulted in fatalities.
