Enhanced surveillance of monkeypox in Bas-Uele, Democratic Republic of Congo: the limitations of symptom-based case definitions.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Following an outbreak of cases of vesicular-pustular rash with fever, evocative of human monkeypox, in Bas-Uélé province, Democratic Republic of Congo, surveillance was strengthened.

Methods

Households with at least one active generalized vesicular-pustular rash case were visited, and contact and clinical history information were collected from all household members. Whenever possible, skin lesions were screened by polymerase chain reaction for the monkeypox virus, followed by the varicella-zoster virus, when negative for the former.

Results

Polymerase chain reaction results were obtained for 77 suspected cases, distributed in 138 households, of which 27.3% were positive for monkeypox, 58.4% positive for chickenpox, and 14.3% negative for both. Confirmed mo

SUBMITTER: Mande G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9628793 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature