Mpox: Study shows virus immunity wanes within a year

A study conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School and published in the medical journal JAMA revealed that immunity from the Mpox vaccine would wane a few months after its administration. The research team analysed samples from 45 individuals vaccinated or infected with Mpox in 2022. The findings revealed a decline in antibody levels against the infection between six and 12 months following immunisation. It is thus suggested that those vaccinated during the 2022 global smallpox epidemic may require booster injections to maintain immunity. The study examined antibody levels in the weeks and months following vaccination with Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN), the only vaccine against Mpox approved for use in the EU and UK. The findings of the study are, however, open to a variety of differing interpretations, according to experts from the WHO. Instead, it is essential to ascertain the population’s level of immunity, as posited by Alexis Robert, a researcher at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.