Severe monkeypox with superimposed bacterial infection in an immunocompetent patient: A case report

Monkeypox, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genu, has been the center of global attention since it has been declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization. Typically, it is a self-limiting disease; however, it can occasionally have severe presentations in patients with underlying c...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Aysswarya Manoharan, Beatriz X. Braz, Andrew McBride, Salma Hernandez, Monica Balfour, Tanya Quiroz, Alexis Powell, Allan Rodriguez, Stephen Morris, Jose A. Gonzales-Zamora
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2022-01-01
Series:IDCases
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214250922002542
Description
Summary:Monkeypox, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genu, has been the center of global attention since it has been declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization. Typically, it is a self-limiting disease; however, it can occasionally have severe presentations in patients with underlying conditions, such as HIV, malignancy, and transplantation. In this article, we will present a case of an immunocompetent patient with a severe presentation of monkeypox. The patient presented with facial pustules with superimposed bacterial infection; furthermore, he had painful vesicles in oral and nasal mucosa and the penis. Dermatologic conditions such as atopic dermatitis has been associated with severe monkeypox. While our patient does not have a history of atopic dermatitis, he does report contact dermatitis as well as a history of skin infections. Researchers have hypothesized that disruption of the skin barrier allows for proliferation of the monkeypox virus; therefore, it is important to take a thorough history of the patient’s skin conditions. Lastly, we described the use of Tecovirimat in our patient. Although it is impossible to demonstrate the efficacy of this medication without a randomized clinical trial, our patient seemed to have a faster improvement of the lesions after initiating this antiviral.
ISSN:2214-2509