On June 29, 2022, the Biden Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HCC) announced an enhanced national vaccination strategy to mitigate the spread of monkeypox.

Under the strategy, HHS is rapidly expanding access to thousands of the two-dose JYNNEOS vaccines for prophylactic use in areas with the highest transmission and need. In September 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of JYNNEOS for protection against smallpox and monkeypox in individuals 18 years and older determined to be at high risk for either infection.

As part of the national strategy to control the spread of monkeypox, HPCH will work with state and federal authorities to obtain the JYNNEOS vaccine for those individuals at high risk of monkeypox exposure as identified by their primary care provider or local health authority.  

If your facility has a suspected monkeypox case, please call your local or state health department first. If you are not sure which health department to call, you can contact the Texas Department of State Health Services Health (DSHS) Service Region 6/5 South at (713) 767-3000.

Your local (or state) health department epidemiologist (EPI) will conduct the initial investigation. If monkeypox is suspected, the health department may consult with DSHS and/or the Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) Emergency Operations Center (EOC). A case number may be assigned by CDC.

Your facility will collect specimens appropriately and coordinate with the Local Health Authority to send them to the health department’s Laboratory Response Network (LRN) laboratory for testing by real-time PCR. Collect two (duplicate) multi-lesion dry swabs as follows:

1. Use a sterile nylon, polyester, or Dacron swab with plastic, wood, or thin aluminum shaft. Do not use other types of swabs.
2. Swab or brush multiple lesions (generally 2-3 lesions, preferably from different locations on the body and/or from lesions with differing appearances) vigorously with a sterile dry swab.
3. Break off the end of the applicator of each swab into a 1.5- or 2-mL sterile screw-capped tube with an O-ring or place each entire swab in an empty sterile tube/container (preferred). If you do not have empty sterile tubes, you can put the swab in a viral transport media (VTM) tube. Universal transport media (UTM) tube cannot be used. Label the tube with the patient’s name, date of birth, and specimen collection date.

Below is a list of health departments throughout the Houston region. Each department works with health care providers within their respective jurisdictions to investigate human disease cases or outbreaks.

Contact the department closest to your location to report suspected monkeypox cases.