Co-Circulating Viruses Causing Concern in Mpox Outbreak

IDSE.Net

The mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spilled over into Uganda, which borders the DRC, according to reports at CROI 2025, which is ongoing in San Francisco (abstract 191). Surveillance has found co-circulating viruses, particularly varicella-zoster virus, with one person coming down with coinfections. That person died, according to Nicholas Bbosa, PhD, an assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and a molecular virologist by training and scientist at the Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit. “Uganda’s mpox outbreak is closely related to the recent clade 1b mpox outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We are able to confirm an impact from varicella-zoster virus coinfection and co-circulation,” Dr. Bbosa said. Other African countries—the DRC in 2020 and Burundi in 2024—saw similar findings. Tightening the case definition and warning healthcare professionals about the differential diagnoses might prevent misdiagnoses, according to Dr. Bbosa.

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