NIH Trial Finds Mpox Vaccine Safe and Effective in Adolescents

National Institutes of Health (NIH) showed that an mpox vaccine administered to teenagers was safe and produced the same level of antibody response as in adults. Young people are one of the demographics impacted by mpox in the ongoing Clade I mpox epidemic.

The interim findings of this clinical study were shared at the IDWeek2024 event in Los Angeles. The initial human instance of mpox was documented in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). There have been two varieties of the virus responsible for mpox that have been recognized. Clade I is native to Central Africa and has the potential to result in serious sickness. Clade II, which is exclusive to West Africa, sparked the worldwide mpox pandemic that started in 2022 and often leads to less severe sickness. Individuals with weakened immune systems, children, and pregnant individuals are particularly susceptible to severe mpox regardless of the virus clade.

Many adolescents and children are being impacted in the ongoing Clade I outbreak in the DRC and other African nations. The MVA-BN vaccine is authorized in multiple countries for preventing mpox and smallpox in adults, but limited evidence exists for approval in individuals under 18 years old.