The relevance of multiple clinical specimens in the diagnosis of monkeypox virus, Spain, June 2022
Cristina Veintimilla, Pilar Catalán, Roberto Alonso, Darı́o Garcı́a de Viedma, Laura Pérez‐Lago, M.J. Palomo, Alejandro Cobos, Teresa Aldámiz‐Echevarría, Patricia Muñóz
Abstract
A monkeypox virus (MPXV) outbreak has been ongoing worldwide since May 2022. The role of specimens other than skin lesions for MPXV diagnosis is unknown. We evaluated 140 different clinical specimens by real-time PCR. The highest positivity rates (97%) were from skin lesions of any part of the body, followed by plasma, pharyngeal and anal swabs. Testing specimens from multiple sites may improve the sensitivity and reduce false-negative test results.
Topics & Concepts
MonkeypoxOutbreakMedicineVirologyClinical significanceDiagnostic testPathologyDermatologyBiologyVeterinary medicineRecombinant DNABiochemistryVacciniaGenePoxvirus research and outbreaksHerpesvirus Infections and TreatmentsBacillus and Francisella bacterial research