Monkeypox Virus Infection and Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Cross-Sectional Study from a Secondary Hospital in the May-September 2022 International Outbreak

The aims of this study were to describe the characteristics of patients infected by monkeypox virus (MPXV) in our setting, to determine the prevalence of MPXV in samples that are classically used for diagnosing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as anal, urethral, pharyngeal, and urine, and to assess the prevalence of coinfection with STIs in the same samples. A cross-sectional study was conducted, collecting all confirmed cases of MPXV between June and July 2022 using polymerase chain reaction. Sociodemographic data, HIV and other STI status, and prevalence of MPXV and STIs in urethral, anal, pharyngeal, or urine samples were collected. Data from 22 patients were extracted, all of whom were men who have sex with men (MSM) and 54.5% were previously HIV positive. The median age was 43 years. All the skin samples were positive for MPXV, followed by anal samples (n = 10, 45.5%). MPXV was isolated in 2 or more samples simultaneously in 12 (54%) cases. Nine (41%) patients were positive for an STI and four of them had more than one STIs (18.2%). Human monkeypox has been epidemiologically significant among MSM. MPXV should be investigated not only in skin lesions but also in samples classically used for STIs. MPXV, such as other STIs, shares ways of transmission and coinfection may be underdiagnosed.