A study published today in Eurosurveillance used 140 samples taken from 12 monkeypox-infected patients in Barcelona, Spain, and found poxvirus DNA in semen, saliva, urine and feces.
Although the main mode of transmission of the smallpox-related virus is through skin-to-skin contact with infected lesions, this study suggests the possibility of transmission through sexual fluids or saliva. The authors emphasize, however, that viral DNA does not necessarily mean infectious virus.
Signs of high viral loads
In the study, indications of high viral loads were detected in all 12 saliva samples and in skin lesions from all 12 patients. Detectable DNA was collected from 11 of 12 rectal swabs, 10 of 12 nasopharyngeal swabs, 7 of 9 semen, 9 of 12 urine, and 8 of 12 feces. All samples were collected at the time of diagnosis.
All patients were men who have sex with men (MSM), with a median age of 38.5 years. Four were seropositive but had an undetectable HIV viral load. All patients reported sexual activity with up to 10 partners in the previous month.
“Our results contribute to a better understanding of a likely complex transmission puzzle and highlight other immediate areas for investigation, such as the infectivity of body fluids, the frequency of secondary and asymptomatic cases, or the impact of social and behavioral factors that affect viral transmission. the authors concluded.
In related news, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control and the European office of the World Health Organization (WHO) released an epidemiological update last night, reporting 8,238 cases from 35 countries in the region. Almost all cases occur in men (99.5%) aged 31 to 40 years.
No deaths from monkeypox have been reported in the European region, but three people have required admission to the intensive care unit.
Spain is the country with the most cases, with 2,034, followed by the United Kingdom (1,735) and Germany (1,636).
As US cases top 1,000, more testing will be done
The United States now has 1,053 cases from 43 jurisdictions, an increase of 124 cases since yesterday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Today, a fourth commercial laboratory announced that it would begin polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for monkeypox. Aegis said it will be able to run more than 5,000 tests per week moving to 10,000 tests per week in early August.
Also today, the WHO announced that it will reconvene its monkeypox emergency committee on July 21 to see if the outbreak warrants a public health emergency of international concern. In June, the organization voted against such a declaration.
Globally, 11,208 cases have been confirmed, mainly in non-endemic countries.
Source: www.cidrap.umn.edu