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. 2024 May;29(21):2300555.
doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.21.2300555.

Mpox in children and adolescents and contact follow-up in school settings in greater Paris, France, May 2022 to July 2023

Laura Reques  1 , Lilas Mercuriali  1 , Yassoungo Silué  2 , Emilie Chazelle  3 , Guillaume Spaccaferri  3 , Annie Velter  3 , Alexandra Mailles  3 , Pierre Frange  4 , Arnaud Tarantola  2
Affiliations

Mpox in children and adolescents and contact follow-up in school settings in greater Paris, France, May 2022 to July 2023

Laura Reques et al. Euro Surveill. 2024 May.

Abstract

BackgroundDuring the 2022 mpox outbreak in Europe, primarily affecting men who have sex with men, a limited number of cases among children and adolescents were identified. Paediatric cases from outbreaks in endemic countries have been associated with a higher likelihood of severe illness. Detailed clinical case descriptions and interventions in school settings before 2022 are limited.AimTo describe clinical characteristics of mpox cases among children (< 15 years) and adolescents (15-17 years) in the greater Paris area in France, and infection control measures in schools.MethodsWe describe all notified laboratory-confirmed and non-laboratory-confirmed cases among children and adolescents identified from May 2022 to July 2023, including demographic and clinical characterisation and infection control measures in school settings, i.e. contact tracing, contact vaccination, secondary attack rate and post-exposure vaccination uptake.ResultsNineteen cases were notified (13 children, 6 adolescents). Four adolescent cases reported sexual contact before symptom onset. Ten child cases were secondary cases of adult patients; three cases were cryptic, with vesicles on hands, arms and/or legs and one case additionally presented with genitoanal lesions. Five cases attended school during their infectious period, with 160 at-risk contacts identified, and one secondary case. Five at-risk contacts were vaccinated following exposure.ConclusionCases among children and adolescents are infrequent but require a careful approach to identify the source of infection and ensure infection control measures. We advocate a 'contact warning' strategy vs 'contact tracing' in order to prevent alarm and stigma. Low post-exposure vaccination rates are expected.

Keywords: Mpox; contact tracing; paediatric; surveillance; vaccination.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Data flowchart of laboratory-confirmed and non-laboratory-confirmed mpox cases aged below 18 years and investigations in schools, greater Paris area, France, May 2022–July 2023 (n = 19)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Epidemiological curve of laboratory-confirmed and non-laboratory-confirmed mpox cases aged below 18 years, greater Paris area, France, May 2022–July 2023 (n = 19)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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