Patients reported less fever and tiredness and more skin lesions in their genital and anal areas than typically seen in monkeypox, the study of 54 patients at London sexual health clinics in May this year found.
Cases have also risen in the countries where it more usually spreads, according to the World Health Organisation. The authors, from a number of institutions including Chelsea & Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said case definitions should be reviewed to avoid cases being overlooked, particularly as monkeypox can “mimic” other common sexually transmitted infections like herpes and syphilis.
“Misdiagnosis of the infection may prevent the opportunity for appropriate intervention and prevention of onward transmission,” said Dr Ruth Byrne, from the trust.
ɪ'ᴍ ɴᴏ ᴇxᴘᴇʀᴛ ɪɴ ᴛʀᴀᴅɪɴɢ ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ɢᴜɪᴅᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ mamats38 ᴀɴᴅ ʜer ᴛᴇᴀᴍ, ɪᴛ'ꜱ ʙᴇʏᴏɴᴅ ᴇʏᴇ ᴏᴘᴇɴɪɴɢ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ᴛᴇᴀᴄʜɪɴɢꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʀᴀᴅɪɴɢ ꜱᴋɪʟʟ, I'ᴠᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʙᴜᴛ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇᴅ ꜱᴜᴄᴄᴇꜱꜱ.