THE mpox is under global surveillance after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the disease a global public health emergency . The current outbreak, caused by the circulation of a more transmissible and lethal strain, mainly affects African countries, but cases have already been detected in Sweden and Thailand.
The disease is characterized by symptoms such as fever, headache, malaise and skin rashes, which can appear anywhere on the body, due to skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. According to Celso Granato, an infectious disease specialist and clinical pathologist at the Brazilian Society of Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (SBPC/ML), the incubation period for the MPOX virus ranges from five to 21 days.
Because other diseases can cause similar symptoms — such as skin infections, allergic reactions, shingles, and herpes simplex — testing is essential to diagnosing mpox and differentiating it from other health conditions.
THE mpox diagnosis is done in a laboratory. The most common is the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, a molecular technique that detects the virus’s DNA quickly and accurately.
“This test is the most reliable and safe, being widely used in reference laboratories such as the Adolfo Lutz Institute, the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) and the Evandro Chagas Institute, as well as private laboratories,” says the specialist.
When is the test performed and how is it done?
THE test for mpox diagnosis must be carried out in all patients with suspected disease according to the Ministry of Health.
To perform the test, a sample of secretion is collected from the lesions on the skin of the person suspected of having the disease. If the lesions are already dry, the sample is collected from the scabs. These samples are then sent to reference laboratories, according to the folder.
How is mpox transmitted and how can you protect yourself?
According to the WHO, mpox transmission can occur in three ways:
- Through direct contact with infected skin or other lesions, such as in the mouth or genitals;
- Through skin-to-skin and mouth-to-skin touch (including sex), mouth-to-mouth (kissing) and respiratory droplets from close and prolonged contact;
- Through bites or scratches from animals infected with the mpox virus and during activities such as hunting, capturing, cooking and/or eating contaminated animals.
According to the Ministry of Health, the main forms of prevention are to avoid direct contact with people with suspected or confirmed illness and to wash hands regularly with soap and water. Infected people must comply with social isolation, which includes not sharing personal materials and objects, such as towels, brushes, sheets and clothes.
Furthermore, vaccination against mpox is also important to prevent the disease. According to the Ministry of Health, immunization before exposure to the virus is prioritizing people at greater risk of developing severe forms of the disease. These include cisgender men, transvestites and transgender women aged 18 or over who are living with the HIV virus.
In addition, laboratory workers who work directly with microorganisms and are between 18 and 49 years old should receive the vaccine. Vaccination also prioritizes people who have had contact (classified by the WHO as high or medium risk) with bodily fluids and secretions from people suspected, probable or confirmed to have MPOX.
This content was originally published in Mpox: how is the test performed to diagnose the disease? on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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