Persistent morbidity in Clade IIb mpox patients: interim results of a long-term follow-up study, Belgium, June to November 2022

Euro Surveill. 2023 Feb;28(7):2300072. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.7.2300072.

Abstract

While mpox was well characterised during the 2022 global Clade IIb outbreak, little is known about persistent morbidity. We present interim results of a prospective cohort study of 95 mpox patients assessed 3-20 weeks post-symptom onset. Two-thirds of participants had residual morbidity, including 25 with persistent anorectal and 18 with genital symptoms. Loss of physical fitness, new-onset/worsened fatigue and mental health problems were reported in 36, 19 and 11 patients, respectively. These findings require attention by healthcare providers.

Keywords: fatigue; follow-up; long-term follow-up; medium-term follow-up; monkeypox; mpox; sequelae.

MeSH terms

  • Belgium / epidemiology
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Morbidity
  • Mpox (monkeypox)* / epidemiology
  • Mpox (monkeypox)* / pathology
  • Prospective Studies