AI Article Synopsis
- Monkeypox is an emerging disease primarily seen in Central and Western Africa, and this study analyzed cases in Tshuapa Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, from 2011 to 2015.
- Out of 1057 confirmed cases, the annual incidence was 14.1 per 100,000, with higher rates in males, particularly those aged 10-19, who showed the most animal exposures.
- The research indicates that monkeypox incidence has doubled since the 1980s, potentially due to reduced immunity from smallpox vaccinations, highlighting demographic variations in exposure patterns related to cultural practices.
Article Abstract
Background: Monkeypox is a poorly described emerging zoonosis endemic to Central and Western Africa.
Methods: Using surveillance data from Tshuapa Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo during 2011-2015, we evaluated differences in incidence, exposures, and clinical presentation of polymerase chain reaction-confirmed cases by sex and age.
Results: We report 1057 confirmed cases. The average annual incidence was 14.1 per 100 000 (95% confidence interval, 13.3-15.0). The incidence was higher in male patients (incidence rate ratio comparing males to females, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.37), except among those 20-29 years old (0.70; .51-.95). Females aged 20-29 years also reported a high frequency of exposures (26.2%) to people with monkeypox-like symptoms.The highest incidence was among 10-19-year-old males, the cohort reporting the highest proportion of animal exposures (37.5%). The incidence was lower among those presumed to have received smallpox vaccination than among those presumed unvaccinated. No differences were observed by age group in lesion count or lesion severity score.
Conclusions: Monkeypox incidence was twice that reported during 1980-1985, an increase possibly linked to declining immunity provided by smallpox vaccination. The high proportion of cases attributed to human exposures suggests changing exposure patterns. Cases were distributed across age and sex, suggesting frequent exposures that follow sociocultural norms.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiab133 | DOI Listing |
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