Mpox Virus in the Pharynx of Men Having Sex with Men: A Case Series

Limonta, Silvia and Lapadula, Giuseppe and Mezzadri, Luca and Corsico, Laura and Rovida, Francesca and Ranzani, Alice and Baldanti, Fausto and Bonfanti, Paolo (2024) Mpox Virus in the Pharynx of Men Having Sex with Men: A Case Series. Pathogens, 13 (1). p. 92. ISSN 2076-0817

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Abstract

The recent Mpox virus (MPV) outbreak in Europe and North America, primarily among men who have sex with men (MSM), raised concerns about various transmission sources. We examined patients with Mpox from an urban STI center in Lombardy, Italy, between May and August 2022. Demographic, transmission, and clinical data were collected using a standardized form. Initial and subsequent tests were conducted using the RealStar Orthopoxvirus PCR Kit 1.0 (Altona Diagnostics, Hamburg, Germany) for skin lesions and oropharyngeal swabs. A total of 15 patients were recruited, all MSM, with 40% being HIV-positive. Almost all reported recent unprotected sexual activity. Oropharyngeal symptoms were observed in a minority, and oral cavity lesions were present in 20% of cases. MPV DNA was detected in skin lesions of 93% of patients and in oropharyngeal swabs of 87%. Skin samples exhibited a higher viral load than pharyngeal samples, with the latter persisting longer. Prospective follow-up of 11 individuals revealed an average pharyngeal persistence of 5.3 days beyond skin lesion clearance, reaching up to 80 days in an immunosuppressed case. Our findings indicate that MPV replication can persist in the pharynx asymptomatically and for an extended period.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: Asian STM > Multidisciplinary
Depositing User: Managing Editor
Date Deposited: 23 Jan 2024 05:05
Last Modified: 23 Jan 2024 05:05
URI: http://journal.send2sub.com/id/eprint/3055

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