ARC IPC Blog

From early May 2022 to June 13, 2022 (the date of this podcast recording), over 1,300 confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported across 31 countries that normally don’t see any cases of monkeypox. Occasionally, outbreaks have occurred outside Africa. But, in most instances, these cases were associated with international travel or contact with individuals or animals from endemic regions. Currently, the CDC and World Health Organization are tracking multiple reported cases and monitoring several person in counties without endemic monkeypox and with no known travel links to an endemic area. 

In today’s podcast, we welcome back Dr. Rachael Lee, Associate Professor in the UAB Division of Infectious Diseases and UAB Health Epidemiologist to talk to us about monkeypox – what it is and if we should be worried?

https://youtu.be/actciFvH5Ik

Thank you to our co-sponsor for this podcast, the Alabama Public Health Training Network at the Alabama Department of Public Health a community-based training partner of the Region IV Public Health Training Center.

Further Reading:

• ADPH Resources – https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/monkeypox/resources.html
• CDC 2022 Monkeypox and Orthopoxvirus Outbreak Global Map – https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/world-map.html
• CDC 2022 U.S. Monkeypox Cases – https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/index.html
• World Health Organization – https://www.who.int/health-topics/monkeypox

For Healthcare Providers:

• CDC – Information for Healthcare Providers – https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/clinicians/index.html
• CDC – Updated Case-finding Guidance: Monkeypox Outbreak—United States, 2022 – https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2022/han00468.asp (6.14.22)

News Articles:

• AP: UK reports 104 more cases of monkeypox, mostly in men – https://apnews.com/article/health-united-nations-england-world-organization-2d45ed6078895dd6a012a1b3555ee3b5 (6.13.22 Published)
• Centers for Infectious Disease Research and Policy – https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/06/uk-reports-194-more-monkeypox-cases-us-total-hits-49 (6.13.22 Published)

The State of Alabama has had a lot of firsts; the first open-heart surgery in the Western Hemisphere was performed in Montgomery in 1902, in 1968 the first 911 call was placed from Haleyville, AL, and unfortunately in 2021 amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic Alabama identified their first case of a new Hepatitis outbreak among children under the age of 10. Children in Alabama began to fall ill with symptoms of Hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver that can cause jaundice, fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, joint pain, and more symptoms. Despite the mysterious onset and widespread unconnected cases under investigation doctors and other researchers are still trying to pin down the direct cause. The onset of symptoms has not been shown to be related to COVID-19 or its vaccinations, as once thought could be the case. Now, research points to the outbreak possibly being related to a new adenovirus strain. As of June 1, 2022, the outbreak and cause are still under investigation, with 246 cases under investigation of children under the age of ten showing symptoms of hepatitis with an unknown cause across 38 different states with 6 deaths since October 2021. Unfortunately, as is frequently the case with outbreaks, cases have been seen beyond the borders of Alabama or the United States where it started, with cases of hepatitis with an unknown cause among children being reported across the globe with roughly 650 cases spread across 33 different countries. Doctors and researchers are working to determine the cause of the outbreak in order to curb the case count, but until then check out our podcast and the resources below to help you stay informed on the latest happenings in Infection Prevention and Control.

Check back soon to hear a podcast from Dr. Wes Stubblefield, District Medical Officer for the Northern and Northeastern Public Health Districts at the Alabama Department of Public Health on this recent outbreak of pediatric hepatitis.

https://youtu.be/kFaqXnJFGP0

Further Reading:

• From ADPH: Hepatitis A Outbreak
• From the CDC: Acute Hepatitis and Adenovirus Infection Among Children — Alabama, October 2021–February 2022
  • Update on Children with Acute Hepatitis of Unknown Cause
• From the American Academy of Pediatrics: Red Book Online Outbreaks: Hepatitis Cases Possibly Associated with Adenoviral Infection
• From Science: Mysterious hepatitis outbreak sickens young children in Europe as CDC probes cases in Alabama
• From the WHO: Acute hepatitis of unknown aetiology in children – Multi-country

For Parents:

• From the CDC: What Parents Should Know About the Current Investigation of Hepatitis of Unknown Cause in Children
• KidsHealth:  Hepatitis
• Columbia: Hepatitis Outbreak Among Kids: What Parents Should Know
• Northshore: A Global Hepatitis Outbreak in Children: What Parents Need to Know
• Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: Hepatitis A Resources

News Articles:

• CNBC: CDC says adenovirus may have caused Alabama outbreak of severe hepatitis in children
• UAB News: New adenovirus strain potentially linked to pediatric hepatitis outbreak in Alabama
• Forbes: Hepatitis Outbreak: Alabama Cases Linked To Common Virus May Provide Clue
• US News & World Report: Alabama Cases of Acute Hepatitis in Kids Show Link to Viruses: CDC
• WSFA 12: CDC says adenovirus may have caused outbreak of severe hepatitis in children
• NBC: CDC report finds no Covid link in children’s hepatitis cases in Alabama