Four Human Mpox Cases from Turkey

Abstract

Human mpox (formerly monkeypox) disease has recently been reported in a number of European countries among individuals with no history of international travel or animal contact, causing global epidemic concerns. We describe the de- mographic, clinical characteristics, and laboratory data of four male patients with mpox disease, three of whom were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive, and one who was HIV-negative but had type 1 diabetes mellitus and a recent his- tory of urological surgery. The HIV-negative patient attracted interest because he had no history of suspected sexual contact; however, he used shared bathrooms and towels at work, which could explain the potential transmission route. The re- maining three male patients engaged in sexual activity with men recently. All four patients had prodromal symptoms such as short-term fever, myalgia, or fatigue, followed by a vesicular-pustular rash that began in the genital area, and two also had lesions on other parts of their bodies. Mpox is not generally considered in the differential diagnosis intitally because it is rare in Turkey; however, the diagnosis should be considered in patients with pustular umbilicated lesions and a history of risky sexual behavior.