Antiviral treatment is more effective than smallpox vaccination upon lethal monkeypox virus infection

Koert J. Stittelaar, Johan Neyts, Lieve Naesens, Geert van Amerongen, Rob F. van Lavieren, Antonin Holý, Erik De Clercq, Hubert G. M. Niesters, Edwin Fries, Chantal Maas, Paul G. H. Mulder, Ben A. M. van der Zeijst and Albert D. M. E. Osterhaus ()
Additional contact information
Koert J. Stittelaar: Erasmus MC
Johan Neyts: K.U. Leuven
Lieve Naesens: K.U. Leuven
Geert van Amerongen: Erasmus MC
Rob F. van Lavieren: ViroClinics B.V.
Antonin Holý: Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
Erik De Clercq: K.U. Leuven
Hubert G. M. Niesters: Erasmus MC
Edwin Fries: Erasmus MC
Chantal Maas: Erasmus MC
Paul G. H. Mulder: Erasmus MC
Ben A. M. van der Zeijst: Netherlands Vaccine Institute
Albert D. M. E. Osterhaus: Erasmus MC

Nature, 2006, vol. 439, issue 7077, 745-748

Abstract: Smallpox virus: be prepared Several countries are stockpiling smallpox vaccine as a precaution against the possible use of vaccinia virus as a bioweapon. But although the vaccine is extremely effective at preventing smallpox infection, little is known about its efficacy as post-exposure vaccination in humans or in primates. A study in monkeys exposed to monkeypox virus shows that early treatment with antiviral drugs such as cidofovir is more effective than vaccination in reducing death rate and disease. Monkeypox is the ‘monkey equivalent’ of smallpox, so these data indicate that the use of antiviral drugs should be considered as an alternative or additional strategy for bioterrorist preparedness against smallpox.

Date: 2006
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DOI: 10.1038/nature04295

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