Use of Mpox Multiplex Serology in the Identification of Cases and Outbreak Investigations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Eddy Kinganda-Lusamaki,
Lionel Kinzonzi Baketana,
Etienne Ndomba-Mukanya,
Julie Bouillin,
Guillaume Thaurignac,
Adrienne Amuri Aziza,
Gradi Luakanda-Ndelemo,
Nicolas Fernandez Nuñez,
Thierry Kalonji-Mukendi,
Elisabeth Simbu Pukuta,
Antoine Nkuba-Ndaye,
Emmanuel Lokilo Lofiko,
Emile Malembi Kibungu,
Robert Shongo Lushima,
Ahidjo Ayouba,
Placide Mbala-Kingebeni,
Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum,
Eric Delaporte,
Martine Peeters,
Steve Ahuka-Mundeke
Affiliations
Eddy Kinganda-Lusamaki
TransVIHMI, University of Montpellier (UM), French Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
Lionel Kinzonzi Baketana
Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Etienne Ndomba-Mukanya
Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Julie Bouillin
TransVIHMI, University of Montpellier (UM), French Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
Guillaume Thaurignac
TransVIHMI, University of Montpellier (UM), French Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
Adrienne Amuri Aziza
Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Gradi Luakanda-Ndelemo
Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Nicolas Fernandez Nuñez
TransVIHMI, University of Montpellier (UM), French Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
Thierry Kalonji-Mukendi
Programme National de Lutte Contre le Monkeypox et les Fièvres Hémorragiques Virales, Ministère de la Santé (PNLMPX-FHV), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Elisabeth Simbu Pukuta
Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Antoine Nkuba-Ndaye
TransVIHMI, University of Montpellier (UM), French Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
Emmanuel Lokilo Lofiko
Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Emile Malembi Kibungu
Programme National de Lutte Contre le Monkeypox et les Fièvres Hémorragiques Virales, Ministère de la Santé (PNLMPX-FHV), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Robert Shongo Lushima
Programme National de Lutte Contre le Monkeypox et les Fièvres Hémorragiques Virales, Ministère de la Santé (PNLMPX-FHV), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Ahidjo Ayouba
TransVIHMI, University of Montpellier (UM), French Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
Placide Mbala-Kingebeni
Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum
Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Eric Delaporte
TransVIHMI, University of Montpellier (UM), French Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
Martine Peeters
TransVIHMI, University of Montpellier (UM), French Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
Steve Ahuka-Mundeke
Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Human Mpox cases are increasingly reported in Africa, with the highest burden in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). While case reporting on a clinical basis can overestimate infection rates, laboratory confirmation by PCR can underestimate them, especially on suboptimal samples like blood, commonly used in DRC. Here we used a Luminex-based assay to evaluate whether antibody testing can be complementary to confirm cases and to identify human transmission chains during outbreak investigations. We used left-over blood samples from 463 patients, collected during 174 outbreaks between 2013 and 2022, with corresponding Mpox and VZV PCR results. In total, 157 (33.9%) samples were orthopox-PCR positive and classified as Mpox+; 124 (26.8%) had antibodies to at least one of the three Mpox peptides. The proportion of antibody positive samples was significantly higher in Mpox positive samples (36.9%) versus negative (21.6%) (p ) versus 88/174 (50.6%)). Our findings highlight the urgent need of rapid on-site diagnostics to circumvent Mpox spread.
