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The following is a summary of “Prevention of sexual transmission of mpox: a systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis of approaches,” published in the July 2024 issue of Infectious Disease by Paparini et al.
A recent multi-country mpox outbreak primarily affected sexual networks among men who have sex with men, necessitating a study on the effectiveness of recommended prevention strategies.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to systematically evaluate and synthesize evidence on mpox preventive behavioral interventions targeting sexual acquisition, onward transmission, and the utility of asymptomatic testing to inform WHO guidelines.
They searched Medline, EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane, WHO trial databases, grey literature, and conference proceedings for English-language primary research (January 1, 2022). A review team conducted screening, data extraction, and bias evaluation. A thematic synthesis examined the perspectives and experiences of individuals at higher risk regarding prevention engagement.
The results showed 16 studies, 1 focused on contact tracing, 2 on sexual behavior, and 13 on asymptomatic testing. Although the Monkeypox Virus (MPXV) was detected in samples ranging from 0.17% to 6.5%, the testing studies did not provide sufficient evidence to assess the strategy fully. In the qualitative evidence synthesis, 4 studies examined the experiences of the most affected communities. Preferences for preventive interventions were influenced by factors including mpox information, the diversity of sexual practices, accessibility and quality of mpox testing and care, and perceived costs to well-being.
Investigators concluded that evidence for effective interventions to prevent mpox sexual transmission was insufficient, with limited data on intervention acceptability and an urgent need for further research to address global and local inequities in vaccine and treatment access.
Source: tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23744235.2024.2364801#abstract
