Characteristics of 86 individuals with mpox diagnosed at Copenhagen University Hospital

INTRODUCTION. Since the beginning of the mpox (previously called monkeypox) outbreak in 2022, almost half of cases in Denmark have been diagnosed at the Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital – Amager and Hvidovre Hospital. This article describes the patient cohort seen at the Department with a view to increasing knowledge of mpox among colleagues who are most likely to identify future cases. METHODS. A retrospective observational study reporting patient characteristics, coinfections, clinical presentation and diagnostic delay among mpox cases diagnosed at the department between 23 May 2022 and 8 February 2023. Furthermore, a case report of a patient hospitalised with severe rectal pain is presented to highlight anorectal symptoms. RESULTS. A total of 86 patients were diagnosed with mpox, all were men who have sex with men, with a median age of 39 years. Twenty-six patients (31%) took HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, and 20 patients (24%) were people living with HIV. All patients (100%) presented with lesions, most frequently on or around the genitals. Twenty-nine patients (35%) had anorectal discomfort or pain. Seven patients (10%) had chlamydia, 19 (26%) gonorrhoea and two (5%) syphilis. In 13 cases (15%), mpox was not suspected at the first medical consultation, mainly because symptoms were attributed to a gonorrhoeal coinfection. Five patients (6%) were hospitalised for a median of three days. CONCLUSION. As mpox may become endemic in Denmark, clinicians should remain aware of its symptoms and the risk of coinfection with sexually transmitted infections.