Detection of Asymptomatic Mpox Carriers among High-Ri Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Prospective Analysis

Abstract

Mpox is traditionally considered a zoonotic disease with endemic circulation in Africa, but the 2022–2023 outbreak reached an unprecedented high number of cases in non-endemic countries, so that it was declared a public health emergency of international concern. The reasons for this extensive global spread, characterized by sexual transmission amongst men who have sex with men (MSM), have not been fully clarified. The existence of asymptomatic carriers with viable viral shedding might be an explanation and is under-debated after retrospective studies suggested that infection without symptoms might have a prevalence of 6.5%. We aimed to prospectively assess the presence of mpox infection in asymptomatic high-risk MSM using HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and living with HIV. We selected individuals with no signs of active infection nor suggestive symptoms in the previous 21 days. Eligible individuals collected oral and anal swabs to undergo point-of-care testing for mpox and completed a 21-days follow-up. Seventy-two individuals were enrolled, and none tested positive for mpox infection nor developed symptoms during follow-up. We selected a high-risk population with a significant history of sexual exposure, but we failed to detect any asymptomatic infection. This observation might have important consequences in terms of contact management and epidemic control.