Clade I-Associated Mpox Cases Associated with Sexual Contact, the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Emerg Infect Dis. 2024 Jan;30(1):172-176. doi: 10.3201/eid3001.231164. Epub 2023 Nov 29.

Abstract

We report a cluster of clade I monkeypox virus infections linked to sexual contact in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Case investigations resulted in 5 reverse transcription PCR-confirmed infections; genome sequencing suggest they belonged to the same transmission chain. This finding demonstrates that mpox transmission through sexual contact extends beyond clade IIb.

Keywords: MPXV; monkeypox virus; mpox; sexually transmitted infections; the Democratic Republic of the Congo; viruses.

MeSH terms

  • Democratic Republic of the Congo / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Monkeypox virus / genetics
  • Mpox (monkeypox)* / epidemiology
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods