Publications by authors named "Mizue Takakusaki"
J Infect Chemother
June 2024
Article Synopsis
- - Tecovirimat's role in treating mpox is still not well-understood, prompting a study in Japan to assess its effectiveness and safety across various patient demographics from June 2022 to April 2023.
- - In the study, 19 male patients (average age 38.5 years), primarily with severe disease and many HIV positive, were treated with tecovirimat; results showed that 60% had negative virus tests in their skin lesions within two weeks, with no severe side effects reported.
- - The findings suggest that starting tecovirimat treatment early can likely shorten the time the virus is detectable, especially in HIV-infected patients, who tend to shed the virus longer, raising the risk of transmission
Article Synopsis
- Monkeypox has seen outbreaks outside its original West African regions since May 2022, prompting a study on the effectiveness of tecovirimat, a drug estimated to be effective against both smallpox and monkeypox.
- This nationwide study involves patients taking tecovirimat for 14 days and will compare results from those receiving the treatment versus a control group that only gets supportive care, measuring outcomes like viral load and adverse effects.
- Participants will be financially supported through research funding, and all ethical guidelines, including informed consent, will be followed; findings will be shared in academic publications and conferences.
