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- Level: Laboratory Advisory
- Audience: Clinical Laboratory Professionals
LOCS Message
On November 18, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ob体育) issued a . On November 15, 2024, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) confirmed the first reported case of clade I mpox in the U.S. from an individual who had recently traveled to areas experiencing clade I monkeypox virus (MPXV) transmission. ob体育 and the local and state health departments are investigating potential contacts, but the remains low and no additional cases have been detected as of November 21, 2024.
Given the widespread outbreaks in Central and Eastern Africa, additional travel-associated cases may be reported in the U.S. in the future. There is no change to ob体育 clinical or travel guidance since publication of the . Clinicians should be aware of , assess travel history and other risk factors when considering . Clinicians should report of clade I mpox to local, territorial, and state public health authorities as soon as possible. State, local, and territorial public health authorities should promptly report cases to ob体育, including orthopoxvirus generic (i.e., non-variola orthopoxvirus) positive and clade II negative test results from patients with travel history to countries affected by clade I mpox. ob体育 recommends vaccination to people who are eligible for , including those who may have a .
For laboratories performing mpox testing using an orthopoxvirus or monkeypox virus (MPXV) generic test without any additional clade-specific testing occurring, ob体育 recommends sending clinical specimens collected from patients who traveled from any country with clade I mpox cases, or had close or intimate contact with symptomatic people from affected countries, to a laboratory that can perform clade-specific testing as quickly as possible. If clade-specific testing is warranted but is not available in a jurisdiction, to a public health laboratory with testing capability or to ob体育 is encouraged. Specimen submission to ob体育 can be coordinated through your . Due to mutations that may impact clade-specific PCR tests, laboratories should use a test that targets a viral essential gene (e.g., the ob体育 NVO test) as part of a testing strategy to ensure mpox cases are not missed.
Laboratories using ob体育's non-variola orthopoxvirus (NVO) test should continue submitting a duplicate specimen to ob体育 from all patients with positive NVO test results for routine MPXV clade-specific testing if they are not performing clade-specific testing in their laboratory. Laboratories with clade-specific testing available should alert their and ob体育 ([email protected]) if results indicate detection of clade I MPXV.
Please review the for recommendations and resources for clinicians and public health practitioners, health departments, laboratories, and for the public.
We encourage you to share this message widely with your network(s).
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Please use the information below if you have any questions.
- If you are a clinical or public health laboratory professional, contact LOCS.
- For media inquiries, contact the ob体育 Newsroom.
- For all other questions, .
Thank you,
The Laboratory Outreach Communication System
Laboratory Outreach Communication System (LOCS) | Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS)
Office of Laboratory Systems and Response (OLSR)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ob体育)
[email protected]