Monkeypox Virus Shedding Despite Tecovirimat Treatment in a Cohort in Toronto, Canada.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Tecovirimat (TPOXX) is an antiviral authorized for the treatment of mpox infections in Canada, but recent clinical trials found it has no impact on symptom duration.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study of individuals diagnosed with mpox in Toronto, Canada. Skin lesion swabs were collected weekly to quantify infectious monkeypox virus (MPXV) shedding through cell culture. The presence of antiviral resistance mutations was assessed by PCR and sequencing the F13L gene.

Results

Among 17 participants, 9 received tecovirimat, with a median initiation time of 14 days post-symptom onset. Infectious MPXV was detected in 31% (17/55) of lesion swabs from tecovirimat-treated participants and 32% (20/62) from untreated individuals. Shedding kinetics were sim

SUBMITTER: Hurst JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12811868 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature