TY - JOUR
T1 - Self-sampling monkeypox virus testing in high-risk populations, asymptomatic or with unrecognized Mpox, in Spain
AU - Agustí, Cristina
AU - Martínez-Riveros, Héctor
AU - Hernández-Rodríguez, Àgueda
AU - Casañ, Cristina
AU - Díaz, Yesika
AU - Alonso, Lucía
AU - Martró, Elisa
AU - Muñoz-Basagoiti, Jordana
AU - Gallemí, Marçal
AU - Folch, Cinta
AU - Sönmez, Ibrahim
AU - Adell, Héctor
AU - Villar, Marta
AU - París de León, Alexia
AU - Martinez-Puchol, Sandra
AU - Pelegrin, A. C.
AU - Perez-Zsolt, Daniel
AU - Raïch-Regué, Dàlia
AU - Mora, Rubén
AU - Villegas, Luis
AU - Clotet, Bonaventura
AU - Izquierdo-Useros, Nuria
AU - Cardona, Pere Joan
AU - Casabona, Jordi
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.
PY - 2023/10/2
Y1 - 2023/10/2
N2 - The recent monkeypox virus (MPXV) outbreak was of global concern and has mainly affected gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). Here we assess prevalence of MPXV in high-risk populations of GBMSM, trans women (TW) and non-binary people without symptoms or with unrecognized monkeypox (Mpox) symptoms, using a self-sampling strategy. Anal and pharyngeal swabs are tested by MPXV real-time PCR and positive samples are tested for cytopathic effect (CPE) in cell culture. 113 individuals participated in the study, 89 (78.76%) were cis men, 17 (15.04%) were TW. The median age was 35.0 years (IQR: 30.0-43.0), 96 (85.02%) individuals were gay or bisexual and 72 (63.72%) were migrants. Seven participants were MPXV positive (6.19% (95% CI: 1.75%-10.64%)). Five tested positive in pharyngeal swabs, one in anal swab and one in both. Six did not present symptoms recognized as MPXV infection. Three samples were positive for CPE, and showed anti-vaccinia pAb staining by FACS and confocal microscopy. This suggests that unrecognized Mpox cases can shed infectious virus. Restricting testing to individuals reporting Mpox symptoms may not be sufficient to contain outbreaks.
AB - The recent monkeypox virus (MPXV) outbreak was of global concern and has mainly affected gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). Here we assess prevalence of MPXV in high-risk populations of GBMSM, trans women (TW) and non-binary people without symptoms or with unrecognized monkeypox (Mpox) symptoms, using a self-sampling strategy. Anal and pharyngeal swabs are tested by MPXV real-time PCR and positive samples are tested for cytopathic effect (CPE) in cell culture. 113 individuals participated in the study, 89 (78.76%) were cis men, 17 (15.04%) were TW. The median age was 35.0 years (IQR: 30.0-43.0), 96 (85.02%) individuals were gay or bisexual and 72 (63.72%) were migrants. Seven participants were MPXV positive (6.19% (95% CI: 1.75%-10.64%)). Five tested positive in pharyngeal swabs, one in anal swab and one in both. Six did not present symptoms recognized as MPXV infection. Three samples were positive for CPE, and showed anti-vaccinia pAb staining by FACS and confocal microscopy. This suggests that unrecognized Mpox cases can shed infectious virus. Restricting testing to individuals reporting Mpox symptoms may not be sufficient to contain outbreaks.
KW - Men
KW - Sex
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85172990800&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41467-023-40490-9
DO - 10.1038/s41467-023-40490-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 37783731
AN - SCOPUS:85172990800
SN - 2041-1723
VL - 14
SP - 5998
JO - Nature Communications
JF - Nature Communications
IS - 1
M1 - 5998
ER -
