Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39427467›Full record

ArticleJournal of infection and public health2024

Emergence of mpox in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Data assessment and implications for a public health response.

Joumana Hermez, Remie El Helou, Tania Sawaya, Georgeio Sader, Muhammad Shahid Jamil, Ahmed Sabry Alaama, Nesrine A Rizk

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Article in Journal of infection and public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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  6. Frontiers in microbiology · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Joumana HermezWorld Health Organization (WHO), Regional Office for the Easter Mediterranean Region, Turkey.
Remie El HelouDivision of Infectious Diseases and Center for Infectious Diseases Research (CIDR), Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, USA.
Tania SawayaDivision of Infectious Diseases and Center for Infectious Diseases Research (CIDR), Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, USA.
Georgeio SaderDivision of Infectious Diseases and Center for Infectious Diseases Research (CIDR), Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, USA.
Muhammad Shahid JamilWorld Health Organization (WHO), Regional Office for the Easter Mediterranean Region, Turkey.
Ahmed Sabry AlaamaWorld Health Organization (WHO), Regional Office for the Easter Mediterranean Region, Turkey.
Nesrine A RizkDivision of Infectious Diseases and Center for Infectious Diseases Research (CIDR), Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, USA. Electronic address: nr00@aub.edu.lb.

Funding

World Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionMonkeypox (mpox) is an illness caused by the MPX virus and endemic to certain African countries. Historically, sporadic outbreaks have occurred in some non-endemic areas. In 2022, a new variant emerged, clade IIb, causing a global outbreak sustained within sexual networks among men who have sex with men (MSM). To our knowledge, this is the first multi-country study examining mpox epidemiology and clinical features of the 2022-2023 outbreak caused by clade IIb across the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR).

methodsWe analyzed datasets of anonymous mpox case-based reports submitted to the World Health Organization (WHO) from May 2022 to December 2023 in the EMR to describe the cumulative incidence, demographics, transmission routes, and clinical outcomes.

resultsBy the end of 2022, 95 case reports were submitted to the WHO. The first case of mpox was reported in the United Arab Emirates on May 24, 2022. The highest number of cases were reported from Lebanon (27 confirmed cases). Most cases in the EMR were adult males (92 %), 60 % identifying as MSM, and 10 % living with HIV. Most reported symptoms were rash (95.4 %) and fever (69.6 %). No intensive care unit admissions or deaths were reported.

conclusionIn this study we investigated the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and outcomes of the mpox outbreak related to clade IIb in the EMR. We raise concerns about the accuracy and completeness of the data, given that the number of cases reported to the WHO from EMR countries appears to be significantly lower than the number of cases documented within the region. This discrepancy could impact the reliability of the reported figures and the region's response strategies. Despite these challenges, collaborative efforts across EMR countries have laid the groundwork for effective outbreak response, underscoring the importance of ongoing regional cooperation to enhance future preparedness strategies.

Indexed as

Disease OutbreaksMpox, MonkeypoxAdolescentAdultFemaleHomosexuality, MaleHumansIncidenceMaleMediterranean RegionMiddle AgedMonkeypox virusPublic HealthYoung AdultEastern MediterraneanEpidemiologyMiddle EastMonkeypoxMpoxNorth AfricaRegional responseWHO

Identifiers

PMID39427467
PMCPMC11522398

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.