Clinical, Virological, Serological and Psychosocial Outcomes in Human Monkeypox Virus Infectious Disease - a PROspective Observational Cohort Study for Epidemiology and Outcomes of MPXVID

MonkeyPox Virus Infectious Disease (MPXVID) is a viral infection caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV) which is an orthopoxvirus that is endemic in countries in West and Central Africa. The clinical course of the MPXVID is similar to smallpox (variola) but usually milder - with less severe disease symptoms seen in the West African subtype. Historically, the case fatality ratio of MPXVID ranged from 0 to 11% and fatality occurs more commonly among children. In Europe, human MPXVID only occurred as an imported disease with limited onward transmission. However, since May 2022 over 19.000 cases of MPXVID - mostly with the West African subtype - have been reported in Europe without a travel history to the endemic areas in Africa. The far large majority of patients with MPXVID in the current outbreak are gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). There is an urgent need to address essential knowledge gaps for optimal clinical care and public health management.

The aim of this study is to improve our understanding of clinical, virological, and psychosocial outcomes in patients with MPXVID. To get a better understanding of associated risk factors for MPXV infection, and to measure quality of life and stigma, the investigators will also include a control population of men without proctitis and MPXVID-related symptoms at day 0. In addition, the investigators want to assess the vaccine effectiveness against MPXVID of infant smallpox vaccination given before 1974, as well as vaccine effectiveness of the modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) smallpox vaccine, when administered as pre- or post-exposure prophylaxis in high risk contacts of MPXVD patients.