Monkeypox vaccination protection may not be long-lasting: Lancet

17 Aug 2022 , 08:38 AM

Despite the fact that wealthy nations are stockpiling smallpox vaccines to combat the current monkeypox outbreak, a recent study published in the Lancet suggested that immunity to the virus might not last a lifetime.

According to the World Health Organization, which recently designated the disease a public health emergency of international concern, the monkeypox outbreak has resulted in more than 31,665 cases and 12 fatalities worldwide.

The smallpox vaccine has been demonstrated to lower the risk of developing symptoms and a serious illness from monkeypox, but protection may wane over time.

32 of the 181 patients in Spain who participated in the study had previously had a smallpox immunization as children.

According to experts quoted in the report, the waning effectiveness of the vaccine’s protective effects may be related to HIV.

According to the study, those who were HIV + made up roughly 40% of monkeypox cases.

Researchers from the US discovered that those who later contracted HIV experienced a faster drop in immunological responses to childhood smallpox immunization.