Ulcerative pathogens among suspected Monkeypox virus (MPXV) patients: a cross sectional study”

Las lesiones sospechosas de MPXV se analizaron frente a otros patógenos ulcerativos para detectar coinfecciones y establecer un diagnóstico adecuado. Estudio transversal retrospectivo descriptivo, realizado en el Centro Sanitario Sandoval, Madrid. Se analizaron 620 úlceras mediante PCR para detectar patógenos de transmision sexual, incluído el MPXV. Se realizó un análisis multivariado para determinar factores asociados a MPXV. Se detectaron 447 muestras positivas para MPXV, 38 fueron positivas para alguno de los otros patógenos, principalmente virus del herpes simple tipo 2 (HSV2). En las muestras MPXV negativas, el 35,3% (61 de 173) fueron positivas para patógenos ulcerativos, principalmente Treponema pallidum (TP). Los hombres que tienen sexo con hombres con lesiones genitales o anorrectales se asociaron a la infección por MPXV. Las características clínicas pueden llevar a errores diagnósticos, principalmente con TP y HSV. MPXV debe considerarse como una infección de transmisión sexual y debe incluirse en el diagnóstico diferencial de las ITS ulcerativas. MPXV suspected lesions were tested to other ulcerative pathogens in order to detect coinfections and establish an adequate diagnosis. Descriptive retrospective cross-sectional study taken at Centro Sanitario Sandoval, Madrid. 620 ulcerative samples were tested by PCR for the main sexually transmitted pathogens including MPXV. A multivariate analysis was carried out to determine factors associated to MPXV. We detected 447 samples positive for MPXV, 38 of them were also positive for some of the other pathogens, mainly herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2). In the MPXV- samples, 35.3% (61 of 173) of them were positive for ulcerative pathogens, mainly Treponema pallidum (TP). Men who have sex with men with genital or anorectal lesions were associated to MPXV infection. The clinical features may lead to diagnostic error, mainly with TP and HSV. MPXV should be considered as a sexually transmitted infection and should be included in the differential diagnosis of ulcerative STIs.