Evidence of surface contamination in hospital rooms occupied by patients infected with monkeypox

 

• Dominik Nörz1,* , Susanne Pfefferle1,2,* , Thomas T. Brehm3,4 , Gefion Franke5 , Ilka Grewe3 , Birte Knobling5 , Martin Aepfelbacher1 , Samuel Huber3 , Eva M. Klupp5 , Sabine Jordan3 , Marylyn M. Addo4,6,7 , Julian Schulze zur Wiesch3,4 , Stefan Schmiedel3 , Marc Lütgehetmann1,4 , Johannes K. Knobloch4,5

The extent of monkeypox virus environmental contamination of surfaces is unclear. We examined surfaces in rooms occupied by two monkeypox patients on their fourth hospitalisation day. Contamination with up to 105 viral copies/cm2 on inanimate surfaces was estimated by PCR and the virus was successfully isolated from surfaces with more than 106 copies. These data highlight the importance of strict adherence of hospital staff to recommended protective measures. If appropriate, pre-exposure or early post-exposure vaccination should be considered for individuals at risk.

https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.26.2200477#abstract_content