Clinical characteristics of Mpox at a single center in Saudi Arabia: a retrospective study

Abstract

Objectives: Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) is a viral infection that has been linked to a global outbreak as recent as in the year 2022. Mpox outbreaks have been increasingly reported in non-endemic regions since 2017 with over 23,000 cases reported in 80 countries as of August 1, 2022. Objective of study was describe the clinical characteristics, treatment and outcomes of Mpox disease as experienced in a tertiary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from May 2022 till the study date. Methodology: This retrospective chart review study was conducted in a large academic tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data were obtained from administrative and electronic medical records and analyzed. Results: Of 33 patients suspected to have Mpox since May 2022, 16 tested positive. In total, 18.8% of patients with Mpox (3/16) had a personal history of recent travel, and 62.5% (10/16) reported some form of recent sexual contact. All the patients presented with rash, and most of them (93.8%) had anogenital rash. The mean number of skin lesions was 6.69, and no one reported coexisting sexually transmitted diseases. In addition, 31.25% (5/16) received antivirals, and no mortality was recorded. Conclusions: Mpox infection demonstrated a variety of signs and symptoms, with all patients presenting with dermatological manifestations. The spread of this disease in our region exhibited some dissimilarities in the clinical presentation and coexisting infections. This highlights the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion and a low threshold for testing in order to halt further spread.