Potential determinants of the decline in mpox cases in Belgium: A behavioral, epidemiological and seroprevalence study.

Autor:	De Vos E; Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium. Electronic address: edevos@itg.be., Van Gestel L; Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium., Brosius I; Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium., Kenyon C; Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium., Vuylsteke B; Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium., De Baetselier I; Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium., Mariën J; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium., Bangwen E; Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium., Couvreur S; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium., Lecompte A; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium., Van Beckhoven D; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium., Hoorelbeke B; Public Health Emergencies Department, Federal Public Service - Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment, Brussels, Belgium., Verstrepen BE; Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands., Zaeck LM; Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands., de Vries RD; Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands., Geurts van Kessel CH; Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands., Hens N; Centre for Health Economic Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; I-BioStat, Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium., Ariën KK; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium., Vercauteren K; Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium., Van Esbroek M; Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium., Van Dijck C; Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium; KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium., Liesenborghs L; Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium; KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases [Int J Infect Dis] 2024 Sep; Vol. 146, pp. 107132. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jun 26.
DOI:	10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107132
Abstrakt:	Objectives: The 2022 mpox epidemic reached a peak in Belgium and the rest of Europe in July 2022, after which it unexpectedly subsided. This study investigates epidemiological, behavioral, and immunological factors behind the waning of the epidemic in Belgium. Methods: We investigated temporal evolutions in the characteristics and behavior of mpox patients using national surveillance data and data from a prospective registry of mpox patients in the Institute of Tropical Medicine (Antwerp). We studied behavioral changes in the population at risk using a survey among HIV-preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) users. We determined the seroprevalence of anti-orthopoxvirus antibodies among HIV-PrEP users across four-time points in 2022. Results: Mpox patients diagnosed at the end of the epidemic had less sexual risk behavior compared to those diagnosed earlier: they engaged less in sex at mass events, had fewer sexual partners, and were less likely to belong to the sexual network's central group. Among HIV-PrEP users there were no notable changes in sexual behavior. Anti-orthopoxvirus seroprevalence did not notably increase before the start of national vaccination campaigns. Conclusion: The observed changes in group immunity and behavior in the population at greater risk of exposure to mpox seem unable to explain the waning of the mpox epidemic. A change in the profile of mpox patients might have contributed to the decline in cases. Competing Interests: Declarations of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article. (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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