Mpox outbreak among men who have sex with men in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the Netherlands: no evidence for undetected transmission prior to May 2022, a retrospective study

Henry J. de Vries; Hannelore M. Götz; Sylvia Bruisten; Annemiek A. van der Eijk; Maria Prins; Bas B. Oude Munnink; Matthijs Ra Welkers; Marcel Jonges; Richard Molenkamp; Brenda M. Westerhuis; Leonard Schuele; Arjen Stam; Marjan Boter; Elske Hoornenborg; Daphne Mulders; Mariken van den Lubben; Marion Koopmans

doi:10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.17.2200869

Mpox outbreak among men who have sex with men in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the Netherlands: no evidence for undetected transmission prior to May 2022, a retrospective study

Henry J. de Vries
, Hannelore M. Götz
, Sylvia Bruisten
, Annemiek A. van der Eijk
, Maria Prins
, Bas B. Oude Munnink
, Matthijs Ra Welkers
, Marcel Jonges
, Richard Molenkamp
, Brenda M. Westerhuis
, Leonard Schuele
, Arjen Stam
, Marjan Boter
, Elske Hoornenborg
, Daphne Mulders
, Mariken van den Lubben
, Marion Koopmans

Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunology
Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development
Municipal Health Service of Amsterdam
University of Amsterdam
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Municipal Public Health Service (GGD) Rotterdam-Rijnmond
Amsterdam UMC
Municipal Public Health Service (GGD) Amsterdam

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

17 Citations (Scopus)

89 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Since May 2022, over 21,000 mpox cases have been reported from 29 EU/EEA countries, predominantly among men who have sex with men (MSM). The Netherlands was the fourth most affected country in Europe, with more than 1,200 cases and a crude notification rate of 70.7 per million population. The first national case was reported on 10 May, yet potential prior transmission remains unknown. Insight into prolonged undetected transmission can help to understand the current outbreak dynamics and aid future public health interventions. We performed a retrospective study and phylogenetic analysis to elucidate whether undetected transmission of human mpox virus (hMPXV) occurred before the first reported cases in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. In 401 anorectal and ulcer samples from visitors to centres for sexual health in Amsterdam or Rotterdam dating back to 14 February 2022, we identified two new cases, the earliest from 6 May. This coincides with the first cases reported in the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal. We found no evidence of widespread hMPXV transmission in Dutch sexual networks of MSM before May 2022. Likely, the mpox outbreak expanded across Europe within a short period in the spring of 2022 through an international highly intertwined network of sexually active MSM.

Original language	English
Journal	Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin
Volume	28
Issue number	17
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.17.2200869
Publication status	Published - 17 Apr 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
This article is copyright of the authors or their affiliated institutions, 2023.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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Mpox outbreak among men who have sex with men in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the NetherlandsFinal published version, 811 KBLicence: CC BY

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de Vries, H. J., Götz, H. M., Bruisten, S., van der Eijk, A. A., Prins, M., Oude Munnink, B. B., Welkers, M. R., Jonges, M., Molenkamp, R., Westerhuis, B. M., Schuele, L., Stam, A., Boter, M., Hoornenborg, E., Mulders, D., van den Lubben, M., & Koopmans, M. (2023). Mpox outbreak among men who have sex with men in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the Netherlands: no evidence for undetected transmission prior to May 2022, a retrospective study. Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin, 28(17). https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.17.2200869

de Vries, Henry J. ; Götz, Hannelore M. ; Bruisten, Sylvia et al. / Mpox outbreak among men who have sex with men in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the Netherlands : no evidence for undetected transmission prior to May 2022, a retrospective study. In: Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin. 2023 ; Vol. 28, No. 17.

@article{305284a71c4a468e8881ac6a783983cd,

title = "Mpox outbreak among men who have sex with men in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the Netherlands: no evidence for undetected transmission prior to May 2022, a retrospective study",

abstract = "Since May 2022, over 21,000 mpox cases have been reported from 29 EU/EEA countries, predominantly among men who have sex with men (MSM). The Netherlands was the fourth most affected country in Europe, with more than 1,200 cases and a crude notification rate of 70.7 per million population. The first national case was reported on 10 May, yet potential prior transmission remains unknown. Insight into prolonged undetected transmission can help to understand the current outbreak dynamics and aid future public health interventions. We performed a retrospective study and phylogenetic analysis to elucidate whether undetected transmission of human mpox virus (hMPXV) occurred before the first reported cases in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. In 401 anorectal and ulcer samples from visitors to centres for sexual health in Amsterdam or Rotterdam dating back to 14 February 2022, we identified two new cases, the earliest from 6 May. This coincides with the first cases reported in the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal. We found no evidence of widespread hMPXV transmission in Dutch sexual networks of MSM before May 2022. Likely, the mpox outbreak expanded across Europe within a short period in the spring of 2022 through an international highly intertwined network of sexually active MSM.",

author = "\{de Vries\}, \{Henry J.\} and G{\"o}tz, \{Hannelore M.\} and Sylvia Bruisten and \{van der Eijk\}, \{Annemiek A.\} and Maria Prins and \{Oude Munnink\}, \{Bas B.\} and Welkers, \{Matthijs Ra\} and Marcel Jonges and Richard Molenkamp and Westerhuis, \{Brenda M.\} and Leonard Schuele and Arjen Stam and Marjan Boter and Elske Hoornenborg and Daphne Mulders and \{van den Lubben\}, Mariken and Marion Koopmans",

note = "Publisher Copyright: This article is copyright of the authors or their affiliated institutions, 2023.",

year = "2023",

month = apr,

day = "17",

doi = "10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.17.2200869",

language = "English",

volume = "28",

journal = "Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin",

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de Vries, HJ, Götz, HM, Bruisten, S, van der Eijk, AA, Prins, M, Oude Munnink, BB, Welkers, MR, Jonges, M, Molenkamp, R, Westerhuis, BM, Schuele, L, Stam, A, Boter, M, Hoornenborg, E, Mulders, D, van den Lubben, M & Koopmans, M 2023, 'Mpox outbreak among men who have sex with men in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the Netherlands: no evidence for undetected transmission prior to May 2022, a retrospective study', Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin, vol. 28, no. 17. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.17.2200869

Mpox outbreak among men who have sex with men in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the Netherlands: no evidence for undetected transmission prior to May 2022, a retrospective study. / de Vries, Henry J.; Götz, Hannelore M.; Bruisten, Sylvia et al.
In: Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin, Vol. 28, No. 17, 17.04.2023.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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T2 - no evidence for undetected transmission prior to May 2022, a retrospective study

AU - de Vries, Henry J.

AU - Götz, Hannelore M.

AU - Bruisten, Sylvia

AU - van der Eijk, Annemiek A.

AU - Prins, Maria

AU - Oude Munnink, Bas B.

AU - Welkers, Matthijs Ra

AU - Jonges, Marcel

AU - Molenkamp, Richard

AU - Westerhuis, Brenda M.

AU - Schuele, Leonard

AU - Stam, Arjen

AU - Boter, Marjan

AU - Hoornenborg, Elske

AU - Mulders, Daphne

AU - van den Lubben, Mariken

AU - Koopmans, Marion

N1 - Publisher Copyright: This article is copyright of the authors or their affiliated institutions, 2023.

PY - 2023/4/17

Y1 - 2023/4/17

N2 - Since May 2022, over 21,000 mpox cases have been reported from 29 EU/EEA countries, predominantly among men who have sex with men (MSM). The Netherlands was the fourth most affected country in Europe, with more than 1,200 cases and a crude notification rate of 70.7 per million population. The first national case was reported on 10 May, yet potential prior transmission remains unknown. Insight into prolonged undetected transmission can help to understand the current outbreak dynamics and aid future public health interventions. We performed a retrospective study and phylogenetic analysis to elucidate whether undetected transmission of human mpox virus (hMPXV) occurred before the first reported cases in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. In 401 anorectal and ulcer samples from visitors to centres for sexual health in Amsterdam or Rotterdam dating back to 14 February 2022, we identified two new cases, the earliest from 6 May. This coincides with the first cases reported in the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal. We found no evidence of widespread hMPXV transmission in Dutch sexual networks of MSM before May 2022. Likely, the mpox outbreak expanded across Europe within a short period in the spring of 2022 through an international highly intertwined network of sexually active MSM.

AB - Since May 2022, over 21,000 mpox cases have been reported from 29 EU/EEA countries, predominantly among men who have sex with men (MSM). The Netherlands was the fourth most affected country in Europe, with more than 1,200 cases and a crude notification rate of 70.7 per million population. The first national case was reported on 10 May, yet potential prior transmission remains unknown. Insight into prolonged undetected transmission can help to understand the current outbreak dynamics and aid future public health interventions. We performed a retrospective study and phylogenetic analysis to elucidate whether undetected transmission of human mpox virus (hMPXV) occurred before the first reported cases in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. In 401 anorectal and ulcer samples from visitors to centres for sexual health in Amsterdam or Rotterdam dating back to 14 February 2022, we identified two new cases, the earliest from 6 May. This coincides with the first cases reported in the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal. We found no evidence of widespread hMPXV transmission in Dutch sexual networks of MSM before May 2022. Likely, the mpox outbreak expanded across Europe within a short period in the spring of 2022 through an international highly intertwined network of sexually active MSM.

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de Vries HJ, Götz HM, Bruisten S, van der Eijk AA, Prins M, Oude Munnink BB et al. Mpox outbreak among men who have sex with men in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the Netherlands: no evidence for undetected transmission prior to May 2022, a retrospective study. Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin. 2023 Apr 17;28(17). doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.17.2200869

Mpox outbreak among men who have sex with men in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the Netherlands: no evidence for undetected transmission prior to May 2022, a retrospective study

Abstract

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