Frequent detection of monkeypox virus DNA in saliva, semen, and other clinical samples from 12 patients, Barcelona, Spain, May to June 2022

A monkeypox (MPX) outbreak has expanded worldwide since May 2022. We tested 147 clinical samples collected at different time points from 12 patients by real-time PCR. MPX DNA was detected in saliva from all cases, sometimes with high viral loads. Other samples were frequently positive: rectal swab (11/12 cases), nasopharyngeal swab (10/12 cases), semen (7/9 cases), urine (9/12 cases) and faeces (8/12 cases). These results improve knowledge on virus shedding and the possible role of bodily fluids in disease transmission.

Automated summary

A study found that saliva is the main source of virus detection in all cases during the monkeypox outbreak, and other samples such as rectal swabs, nasopharyngeal swabs, semen, urine, and feces were also frequently positive. These findings are important for understanding virus shedding and the possible role of bodily fluids in disease transmission.