The role of the obstetrician-gynecologist in emerging infectious diseases: monkeypox and pregnancy

Clinical considerations on monkeypox antiviral medications: An overview

Monkeypox (mpox), a virus belonging to the orthopoxvirus family, can cause a zoonotic infectious disease with morbidity and cosmetic complications. Therefore, effective antiviral drugs with appropriate safety profiles are important for the treatment of patients with mpox. To date, there is no FDA-approved drug for the treatment of mpox. However, tecovirimat, brincidofovir, and cidofovir are the candidate therapies for the management of mpox. Given the safety concerns following the use of these medications, we aimed to review evidence on the clinical considerations of mpox antiviral medications that will be useful to guide clinicians in the treatment approach. Based on the current evidence, tecovirimat has favorable clinical efficacy, safety, and side effect profile and it can be considered as first-line treatment for mpox.

Monkeypox and the perinatal period: what does maternal-fetal medicine need to know?

BACKGROUND

After the global elimination of smallpox, monkeypox has become the most threatening orthopoxvirus to human health. Very few studies have been reported on pregnant women and newborns. In the case of monkeypox infection, the virus can cause serious adverse pregnancy events in women, which can lead to fetal or neonatal death.

DATA SOURCES

We made a comprehensive review after an extensive literature search in the PubMed/Medline database and websites concerning smallpox and monkeypox.

RESULTS

Two case reports reported a total of nine pregnant women, six of whom had fetal deaths. In the autopsy of a stillbirth, researchers found that the placenta was infected with monkeypox virus, but the mechanism of infection remains unclear. Smallpox vaccine should be administered to acutely exposed pregnant women and newborns. Several novel recombinant vaccinia immunogloblin (rVIG) and human-specific monoclonal antibodies are being developed for the prevention and treatment of monkeypox virus infection. After the fetus was delivered, the newborn should take a bath as soon as possible to remove the amniotic fluid and dirt from the body. The appropriate isolation protocol for the newborn should be selected according to the infection status of the mother. It is not known whether monkeypox virus is present in breast milk, and pasteurized breast milk can be given to newborns when breastfeeding is considered.

CONCLUSION

This review presents an overview of monkeypox in the perinatal period and guides the future research direction.

Monkeypox clinical disease: Literature review and a tool proposal for the monitoring of cases and contacts

The human monkeypox disease has mainly been described in Western and Central Africa. Since May 2022, the monkeypox virus has been spreading worldwide in a new epidemiological pattern, where cases result from person-to-person transmission, and develop clinically milder or less typical illness than during previous outbreaks in endemic areas. The newly-emerging monkeypox disease needs to be described over the long term, to improve cases definitions, to implement prompt control measures against epidemics, and to provide supportive care. Hence, we first conducted a review of historical and recent outbreaks to define the full clinical spectrum of the monkeypox disease and its course known so far. Then, we built a self-administrated questionnaire collecting daily symptoms of the monkeypox infection to follow cases and their contacts, even remotely. This tool will assist in the management of cases, the surveillance of contacts, and the conduct of clinical studies.

Mpox and pregnancy: A neglected disease and its impact on perinatal health

Viral infections during pregnancy have been one of the leading causes associated with significant perinatal problems, such as congenital defects, fetal neurological syndromes, stillbirths, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The mpox virus infection, caused by an Orthopoxvirus related to the human smallpox virus, was declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization in July 2022 due to the large number of cases emerging outside the usual endemic area in Africa. There is little information on the impact of mpox virus infection during pregnancy, although the limited evidence available shows a high rate of fetal harm. This review addresses the problem of mpox virus infection in pregnant women and provides indications for its prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

[Mpox and pregnancy: A neglected disease and its impact on perinatal health]

Viral infections during pregnancy have been one of the leading causes associated with significant perinatal problems, such as congenital defects, fetal neurological syndromes, stillbirths, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The mpox virus infection, caused by an Orthopoxvirus related to the human smallpox virus, was declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization in July 2022 due to the large number of cases emerging outside the usual endemic area in Africa. There is little information on the impact of mpox virus infection during pregnancy, although the limited evidence available shows a high rate of fetal harm. This review addresses the problem of mpox virus infection in pregnant women and provides indications for its prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

A Primer on Monkeypox Virus for Obstetrician-Gynecologists: Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment

Since May 2022, more than 6,900 cases of monkeypox virus infection have been reported in 52 countries. The World Health Organization is planning to rename the virus and its clades to reduce stigma. As of July 5, 2022, 556 cases have been reported in 33 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. The initial cases were travel-associated; however, person-to-person transmission is now occurring domestically. Close, sustained skin-to-skin contact, including during sexual activity, appears to be the primary mode of transmission. The risk of widespread community transmission remains low; however, rapid identification of monkeypox virus infection and isolation of affected individuals is critical to prevent further transmission. Most but not all cases have occurred in males; some infections have started with anogenital lesions and can be mistaken for common sexually transmitted infections. To facilitate rapid, accurate diagnosis of monkeypox virus infection, obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns) in the United States should ask about recent travel history and new ulcers or lesions and perform a thorough visual inspection of skin and mucosal sites (oral, genital, perianal area) in patients presenting with new rash. Obstetrician-gynecologists should become familiar with the appearance of monkeypox lesions and know whom to call to report a suspected case, how and when to test for monkeypox virus, and how to counsel patients. In the event of a suspected case, ob-gyns should follow infection-control guidelines to prevent transmission and make recommendations to prevent further community spread. This article outlines the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of monkeypox virus infection, monkeypox virus infection during pregnancy, and implications for practicing ob-gyns in the United States.

Emerging Infectious Diseases in Pregnancy

It has been recognized for centuries that pregnant women have unique susceptibilities to many infectious diseases that predispose them to untoward outcomes compared with the general adult population. It is thought a combination of adaptive alterations in immunity to allow for the fetal allograft combined with changes in anatomy and physiology accompanying pregnancy underlie these susceptibilities. Emerging infectious diseases are defined as those whose incidence in humans has increased in the past two decades or threaten to increase in the near future. The past decade alone has witnessed many such outbreaks, each with its own unique implications for pregnant women and their unborn fetuses as well as lessons for the health care community regarding response and mitigation. Examples of such outbreaks include, but are not limited to, severe acute respiratory syndrome, the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza, Ebola virus, and, most recently, the Zika virus. Although each emerging pathogen has unique features requiring specific considerations, there are many underlying principles that are shared in the recognition, communication, and mitigation of such infectious outbreaks. Some of these key principles include disease-specific delineation of transmission dynamics, understanding of pathogen-specific effects on both mothers and fetuses, and advance planning and contemporaneous management that prioritize communication among public health experts, clinicians, and patients. The productive and effective working collaboration among the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine has been a key partnership in the successful communication and management of such outbreaks for women's health care providers and patients alike. Going forward, the knowledge gained over the past decade will undoubtedly continue to inform future responses and will serve to optimize the education and care given to pregnant women in the face of current and future emerging infectious disease outbreaks.

Prophylaxis and treatment of pregnant women for emerging infections and bioterrorism emergencies

Emerging infectious disease outbreaks and bioterrorism attacks warrant urgent public health and medical responses. Response plans for these events may include use of medications and vaccines for which the effects on pregnant women and fetuses are unknown. Healthcare providers must be able to discuss the benefits and risks of these interventions with their pregnant patients. Recent experiences with outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome, monkeypox, and anthrax, as well as response planning for bioterrorism and pandemic influenza, illustrate the challenges of making recommendations about treatment and prophylaxis for pregnant women. Understanding the physiology of pregnancy, the factors that influence the teratogenic potential of medications and vaccines, and the infection control measures that may stop an outbreak will aid planners in making recommendations for care of pregnant women during large-scale infectious disease emergencies.

Emerging infections and pregnancy: West Nile virus, monkeypox, severe acute respiratory syndrome, and bioterrorism

As new infectious diseases, such as West Nile virus, monkeypox, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) are recognized in the United States, there are critical questions about how these infectious diseases will affect pregnant women and their infants. In addition, the implications of bioterrorist attacks for exposed pregnant women need to be considered. In this article, the authors address the following questions for a number of infectious disease threats: (1) does pregnancy affect the clinical course of these novel infectious diseases?, (2) what are the implications for prophylaxis and treatment of exposed or infected pregnant women?, and (3) are these novel infectious diseases transmitted during pregnancy, labor and delivery, or breastfeeding?