Mpox (earlier known as monkeypox) virus
infection is a recognized public health emergency. There has been little research on the treatment options. This article reviews the specific drugs used to treat mpox virus
infection and the
vaccines used here. Instead of focusing on the mechanistic basis, this review narrates the practical, real-life experiences of individual patients of mpox virus disease being administered these medicines. We conducted a bibliometric analysis on the treatment of the mpox virus using data from several databases like PubMed, Scopus, and Embase. The research on this topic has grown tremendously recently but it is highly concentrated in a few countries.
Cidofovir is the most studied
drug. This is because it is indicated and also used off-label for several conditions. The drugs used for mpox virus
infection include
tecovirimat,
cidofovir,
brincidofovir,
vaccinia immune globulin, and
trifluridine.
Tecovirimat is used most frequently. It is a promising option in progressive
mpox disease in terms of both efficacy and safety.
Brincidofovir has been associated with treatment discontinuation due to elevated hepatic
enzymes.
Cidofovir is also not the preferred
drug, often used because of the unavailability of
tecovirimat.
Trifluridine is used topically as an add-on agent along with
tecovirimat for ocular manifestations of mpox virus disease. No study reports individual patient data for
vaccinia immune globulin. Though no
vaccine is currently approved for mpox virus
infection, ACAM 2000 and
JYNNEOS are the
vaccines being mainly considered. ACAM 2000 is capable of replicating and may cause severe adverse reactions. It is used when
JYNNEOS is contraindicated. Several drugs and
vaccines are under development and have been discussed alongside pragmatic aspects of mpox virus treatment and prevention. Further studies can provide more insight into the safety and efficacy of
Tecovirimat in actively progressing mpox virus disease.