Carolina I. Cortés-Correa, Departamento de Dermatología, Universidad Nacional de Colombia; Departamento de Dermatología, Hospital Universitario de la Samaritana; Bogotá, Colombia
Tatiana Camayo-Vásquez, Departamento de Dermatología, Hospital Universitario de la Samaritana; Departamento de Dermatología, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana; Bogotá, Colombia
María P. Díaz-Mestre, Departamento de Dermatología, Hospital Universitario de la Samaritana; Departamento de Dermatología, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana; Bogotá, Colombia
Daniela Chaparro-Reyes, Departamento de Dermatología, Hospital Universitario de la Samaritana; Departamento de Dermatología, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana; Bogotá, Colombia
Elkin Peñaranda-Contreras, Departamento de Dermatología, Universidad Nacional de Colombia; Departamento de Dermatología, Hospital Universitario de la Samaritana; Bogotá, Colombia
Fabio González-González, Departamento de Dermatología, Universidad Nacional de Colombia;, Servicio de Dermatología, Clínica Los Nogales. Bogotá, Colombia
Background: Monkeypox (MPX) is a disease caused by an Orthopoxvirus, which until May 2022 had been relevant due to its endemic presence in African countries and some sporadic outbreaks outside this continent. Currently, it is a global public health emergency. Objective: To report a series of cases and to conduct a narrative literature review that addresses the etiopathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, special populations and the outlook in the context of the current COVID19 pandemic. Also, we seek to communicate relevant scientific information in Spanish, being relevant given that most of the information available is in English. Method: An observational study of five cases of patients with a diagnosis of MPX evaluated in three high-complexity centers in Bogotá, Colombia, was carried out. The inclusion criteria were: adults who attended the emergency room or outpatient clinic with symptoms suggestive of MPX in whom the polymerase chain reaction diagnosis for Orthopoxvirus was confirmed. Informed consent was obtained for disclosure of clinical history and photos, with subsequent presentation to the ethics committee. Results: In the cases we found that 100% of the patients were men, of which 60% (three) were HIV seropositive, the main clinical manifestation in addition to papules and pustules predominantly on the genitals and perianal skin, were lymphadenopathy in 100% of patients. Only one patient (20%) presented coinfection with another sexually transmitted disease, this being syphilis. Morbilliform rash was present in two patients (40%) and enanthem in one (20%). Only one patient (20%) required hospital management due to a new diagnosis of HIV and not due to MPX complications. Additionally, a narrative review of the literature on VS was carried out. Conclusions: MPX is an emerging disease with typical clinical features reported in previous outbreaks, as well as novel manifestations in the current outbreak. We found in our series of cases clinical and epidemiological findings similar to those described in the current outbreak.
Keywords: Monkeypox. Viral infections. Public health emergency.