Risk of monkeypox transmission in hospitals is low, study funds

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There is a low risk of transmission of monkeypox in healthcare settings, according to a June study published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston combed through the literature over the past two decades on monkeypox transmission in healthcare settings outside endemic regions to counsel healthcare personnel more effectively. Out of the 12 studies included in the study, the researchers were able to find just one case of a higher risk of exposure resulting in transmission to a healthcare worker.

"However, variable definition of exposure and limited specific details of the circumstances leading to exposure highlight the need for additional efforts to define and characterize exposures to monkeypox in healthcare settings," the report added. 

WHAT'S THE IMPACT?

The researchers pointed out the current monkeypox outbreak in multiple countries outside endemic regions has highlighted the limited knowledge of risk of transmission from infected patients in healthcare settings to others, including patients and healthcare personnel.

It was also noted that the body of literature on this topic was quite limited and did not include information pertaining to the types of PPE worn by either the source or the exposed person. The researchers proposed developing better exposure definitions.

"Consensus definitions would allow, not only for improved understanding of risk of exposure from specific interactions and modifiers of risk, but also for comparisons across countries investigating exposures," the report noted. 

THE LARGER TREND

The current outbreak of monkeypox, a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals), was confirmed in May 2022, beginning with a cluster of cases found in the United Kingdom, which has since spread to mainland Europe and the United States.

Smallpox vaccines have shown to be up to 85% effective in preventing monkeypox, while newer vaccines targeting the virus specifically have also been developed and are being made available to combat the outbreak.

ON THE RECORD

"Although it is reassuring that there was just a single case of a higher-risk exposure resulting in transmission to a healthcare worker, the studies used variable definitions of exposures and reported very little details regarding the nature of the exposures and the personal protective equipment used," Dr. Kimon Zachary, study coauthor and assistant chief of MGH's Infection Control Unit, said in a press release. "Therefore, it is difficult to quantify precisely the risk of transmission under a given set of circumstances."