On 7 May, the UK Health Security Agency reported a confirmed case of Monkeypox virus in a person traveling to Nigeria. Over the next few days, more cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in the United Kingdom in people without a history of travel to endemic areas and without contact with the previously identified case.

In the period from 13 to 23 May, a number of European countries registered more cases of monkeypox, including Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, Austria. Data up to and including 25 May show that the number of confirmed cases in Europe is 118.

Although in the reported cases the symptoms of the disease have been described as mild, the monkeypox virus can lead to serious complications in certain groups of people (young children, pregnant women, immunocompromised).

The recommendations of the WHO and the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention include establishing mechanisms for rapid identification of suspected cases and tracking of their contacts, implementation of diagnostic approaches that allow specific detection of Orthopoxvirus and especially Monkeypox virus.

On May 23, the WHO published guidelines for testing and testing for Monkeypox virus in individuals suspected of carrying the infection. Confirmation of suspected cases of monkeypox should be performed by PCR test - alone or in combination with sequencing. Suitable samples for analysis are skin lesion materials, including swabs based on skin lesions, exudates and lesion crusts. The study of oropharyngeal secretions in combination with materials from skin lesions or alone is allowed, and its independent examination should be interpreted with special care due to the presumed lower sensitivity of detection in this type of material.

We would like to inform you that as a result of a thorough review and selection, part of our diagnostic portfolio is now a CE IVD certified Real-Time PCR kit for specific detection of Monkeypox virus.

The RIDACOM team works in collaboration with leading global manufacturers and constantly monitors the latest innovations in the world of diagnostics so that we can offer them to you, thus helping to quickly implement them in our country when they are most needed.

Don't hesitate to contact our team for more information on the Monkeypox virus detection kit. Our experts are on hand to assist with recommendations and guidelines for laboratory testing of monkeypox.