Naked Science: Monkeypox virus found in asymptomatic patients, scientific study

Monkeypox continues to spread rapidly across the planet. According to WHO, almost all cases of infections have been recorded in Europe and the Americas.

12 deaths have been confirmed, and the latest study showed that the virus can be in the body without showing symptoms and is detected during the examination for other viruses, the publication reports. Naked Science (Science News). The authors of the study emphasize that determining the presence or absence of an asymptomatic course of the disease will make it possible to more effectively fight the epidemic.

Scientists from the University of Paris-Cite and the Bichat-Claude Bernard Hospital in the 18th arrondissement of Paris examined anorectal swabs from patients who were regularly tested for genital bacterial infections for the presence of monkeypox virus and learned about the presence of symptoms. The results of the scientific analysis are published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Testing was carried out from June 5 to July 11, 2022. During it, 706 men who have sex with members of the same sex were screened for the causative agent of gonorrhea, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Chlamydia trachomatis, which causes chlamydia. Of these, 383 showed signs of monkeypox, but only 271 symptomatic patients confirmed it. 323 had no evidence of smallpox, 213 (mean age 38 years, 52% had HIV) had swab results that were free of gonorrhea and chlamydia, but additional PCR analysis revealed simian simian virus in 13 (6.5%) smallpox, with eight of them also suffering from HIV. The scientists report says:

“We contacted all 13 participants who tested positive for the monkeypox virus and were initially asymptomatic. They were advised to limit sexual activity for 21 days from the time of the test and to notify recent sexual partners. None of them reported symptoms suggestive of monkeypox, but two subsequently presented to our clinic with symptoms of the disease: one had a Ct cycle threshold value, the number of replication cycles required to produce a fluorescent signal; the lower the value, the better above the viral RNA load) at the asymptomatic stage was 20.7 by PCR, but reached 33.0 after seven days, when the man developed a rash in the anal area. The second presented with pharyngitis and fever, but no anal symptoms. A PCR anal swab taken in the asymptomatic phase showed a Ct value of 38.2, and a PCR throat swab nine days later showed a Ct value of 24.

Of the 187 screening participants who were asymptomatic of monkeypox and tested negative on their first test, three still presented to the clinic more than three weeks later with signs of the viral disease. And then the results were positive.

Number of confirmed cases monkeypox in the world over the past week increased by 20%. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says:

“More than 35,000 cases of monkeypox have been identified in 92 countries. Nearly 7,500 cases were reported last week, up 20% from last week.”

The head of the World Health Organization noted that 12 deaths associated with monkeypox have been confirmed outside of Africa, where the virus is regularly detected. Most of the cases are men who have had same-sex relationships, but the virus is also transmitted by airborne droplets, through direct contact with the patient. Among the sick children.

The incidence of monkeypox has been on the rise since this spring. The largest number of cases was detected in the USA, Great Britain, Spain, Germany, France. In July WHO announced monkeypox a public health emergency.

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