06/22/2022: Lab Advisory: CDC Updates Case Definition for Mpox

Audience: Clinical Laboratory Professionals

Level: Laboratory Advisory

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Update to announce updated case-finding guidance for monkeypox.

• The case definition has been expanded to encourage testing for mpox among persons who present for care with relevant history, signs, and symptoms.
• In people with epidemiologic risk factors, rashes initially considered characteristic of more common infections (e.g., varicella zoster, herpes, syphilis) should be carefully evaluated for concurrent characteristic mpox rash and considered for testing.

Please review the HAN in detail for more information.

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Online resources:

• Case Definitions for Use in the 2022 Mpox Response
• Mpox Information for Laboratory Personnel
• U.S. Mpox 2022: Situation Summary
• Real-time PCR assays for the specific detection of mpox virus West African and Congo Basin strain DNA
• Detection of mpox virus with real-time PCR assays

Questions?

• If you are a clinical or public health laboratory professional, contact LOCS.
• For media inquiries, contact the CDC Newsroom.
• For all other questions, contact CDC-INFO.

Thank you,

The Laboratory Outreach Communication System

Laboratory Outreach Communication System (LOCS) | Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS)

Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services (CSELS)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

LOCS@cdc.gov

www.cdc.gov/locs