TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation of human-to-human transmission of monkeypox from infected patients to health care workers
AU - Fleischauer, Aaron T.
AU - Kile, James C.
AU - Davidson, Molly
AU - Fischer, Marc
AU - Karem, Kevin L.
AU - Teclaw, Robert
AU - Messersmith, Hans
AU - Pontones, Pamela
AU - Beard, Bradley A.
AU - Braden, Zachary H.
AU - Cono, Joanne
AU - Sejvar, James J.
AU - Khan, Ali S.
AU - Damon, Inger
AU - Kuehnert, Matthew J.
PY - 2005/3/1
Y1 - 2005/3/1
N2 - Background. In 2003, human monkeypox was first identified in the United States. The outbreak was associated with exposure to infected prairie dogs, but the potential for person-to-person transmission was a concern. This study examines health care worker (HCW) exposure to 3 patients with confirmed monkeypox. Methods. Exposed HCWs, defined as HCWs who entered a 2-m radius surrounding case patients with confirmed monkeypox, were identified by infection-control practitioners. A self-administered questionnaire and analysis of paired serum specimens determined exposure status, immune response, and postexposure signs and symptoms of monkeypox. Results. Of 81 exposed HCWs, 57 (70%) participated in the study. Among 57 participants, 40 (70%) had ≥1 unprotected exposure; none reported signs or symptoms consistent with monkeypox illness. One exposed HCW (2%), who had been vaccinated for smallpox within the past year, had serological evidence of recent orthopoxvirus infection; acute- and convalescent-phase serum specimens tested positive for anti-orthopoxvirus IgM. No exposed HCWs had signs and symptoms consistent with monkeypox. Conclusion. More than three-quarters of exposed HCWs reported at least 1 unprotected encounter with a patient who had monkeypox. One asymptomatic HCW showed laboratory evidence of recent orthopoxvirus infection, which was possibly attributable to either recent infection or smallpox vaccination. Transmission of monkeypox likely is a rare event in the health care setting.
AB - Background. In 2003, human monkeypox was first identified in the United States. The outbreak was associated with exposure to infected prairie dogs, but the potential for person-to-person transmission was a concern. This study examines health care worker (HCW) exposure to 3 patients with confirmed monkeypox. Methods. Exposed HCWs, defined as HCWs who entered a 2-m radius surrounding case patients with confirmed monkeypox, were identified by infection-control practitioners. A self-administered questionnaire and analysis of paired serum specimens determined exposure status, immune response, and postexposure signs and symptoms of monkeypox. Results. Of 81 exposed HCWs, 57 (70%) participated in the study. Among 57 participants, 40 (70%) had ≥1 unprotected exposure; none reported signs or symptoms consistent with monkeypox illness. One exposed HCW (2%), who had been vaccinated for smallpox within the past year, had serological evidence of recent orthopoxvirus infection; acute- and convalescent-phase serum specimens tested positive for anti-orthopoxvirus IgM. No exposed HCWs had signs and symptoms consistent with monkeypox. Conclusion. More than three-quarters of exposed HCWs reported at least 1 unprotected encounter with a patient who had monkeypox. One asymptomatic HCW showed laboratory evidence of recent orthopoxvirus infection, which was possibly attributable to either recent infection or smallpox vaccination. Transmission of monkeypox likely is a rare event in the health care setting.
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U2 - 10.1086/427805
DO - 10.1086/427805
M3 - Article
C2 - 15714414
AN - SCOPUS:20144383134
VL - 40
SP - 689
EP - 694
JO - Clinical Infectious Diseases
JF - Clinical Infectious Diseases
SN - 1058-4838
IS - 5
ER -