The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LAC DPH) issued a health update on September 9, 2022. This advisory shares important information about monkeypox patients with severe disease, testing, and vaccines.
Key Messages
- Patients with severe monkeypox disease and those at risk of severe disease should be treated with tecovirimat.
- Intravenous tecovirimat should be used in patients who are unable to take oral therapy, who may have impaired oral drug absorption, or who are failing to improve on oral therapy.
- Severe outcomes have been observed in people with inadequately treated HIV; both CD4 count and viral load should be considered when assessing risk.
- Clinicians must report hospitalizations due to monkeypox to LAC DPH. In addition, they are asked to call the LAC DPH consultation line if a hospitalized patient is worsening clinically, such as being admitted to the ICU. LAC DPH will provide clinical consultation and access to additional therapeutic options.
Read the full LAC DPH Monkeypox Update: Severe Disease, Testing, and Vaccine Eligibility.