London 16th August : While many wealthy countries are accumulating smallpox vaccines to fight the current monkeypox outbreak protection from the virus might not last for a lifetime according to a research study that was published in the Lancet. The monkeypox epidemic in the world has resulted in more than 31665 cases , and the death of 12 according to the World Health Organization, which recently declared the disease to be a public health emergency of international concern.
The majority of cases in the current outbreaks are men that have sex with men.
The jab for smallpox has been shown to lower the risk of acute infection and serious illness caused by monkeypox can decrease with time.
In the study the study, in the study, 32 of the patients in Spain had had a vaccine as a child against smallpox.
Dr Oriol Mitja, co-author of the study, said that because the majority of people who were vaccinated against smallpox were given the jab over 45 years ago, it’s reasonable to conclude that their immunity would have decreased as the Guardian said.
“All I’m able to tell you is that childhood vaccinations might not be 100% secure for the rest of your life,” he was quoted as saying.
According to Jimmy Whitworth, Professor of international public health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine While the viruses are alike, they aren’t exactly the same, “so the cross-protection provided might not be 100”.
Experts also said that HIV could be the reason that jab protection diminishes in time, the report stated.
The study revealed that around 40 percent of the cases of monkeypox were in those who were HIV positive.
Mitja said that the figure was 60 percent of those who received smallpox vaccine in their childhood, but who had monkeypox.
“(People with HIV) may have been suffering from an immune deficiency that could be destroying the protection provided by the vaccination,” Whitworth was quoted as saying.
Research conducted by scientists in the US released in 2020, revealed that the immune responses to smallpox vaccinations decreased faster among those who later became infected with HIV.
Prof.Mark Slifka, of Oregon Health & Science University Prof.Mark Slifka, of Oregon Health & Science University, said “This could be a cause for issue that could be the reason for more cases of monkeypox in the current outbreaks.”
However, he warned against rashness in interpret the findings from Spain and noted that the childhood vaccine against smallpox could provide some immunity to monkeypox.The report noted.
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