Viruses (Jun 2023)
Overview of Mpox Outbreak in Greece in 2022–2023: Is It Over?
- Kassiani Mellou,
- Kyriaki Tryfinopoulou,
- Styliani Pappa,
- Kassiani Gkolfinopoulou,
- Sofia Papanikou,
- Georgia Papadopoulou,
- Evangelia Vassou,
- Evangelia-Georgia Kostaki,
- Kalliopi Papadima,
- Elissavet Mouratidou,
- Maria Tsintziloni,
- Nikolaos Siafakas,
- Zoi Florou,
- Antigoni Katsoulidou,
- Spyros Sapounas,
- George Sourvinos,
- Spyridon Pournaras,
- Efthymia Petinaki,
- Maria Goula,
- Vassilios Paparizos,
- Anna Papa,
- Theoklis Zaoutis,
- Dimitrios Paraskevis
Affiliations
- Kassiani Mellou
- National Public Health Organization, 15123 Athens, Greece
- Kyriaki Tryfinopoulou
- National Public Health Organization, 15123 Athens, Greece
- Styliani Pappa
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Kassiani Gkolfinopoulou
- National Public Health Organization, 15123 Athens, Greece
- Sofia Papanikou
- National Public Health Organization, 15123 Athens, Greece
- Georgia Papadopoulou
- National Public Health Organization, 15123 Athens, Greece
- Evangelia Vassou
- National Public Health Organization, 15123 Athens, Greece
- Evangelia-Georgia Kostaki
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Kalliopi Papadima
- National Public Health Organization, 15123 Athens, Greece
- Elissavet Mouratidou
- National Public Health Organization, 15123 Athens, Greece
- Maria Tsintziloni
- National Public Health Organization, 15123 Athens, Greece
- Nikolaos Siafakas
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Attikon General University Hospital of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
- Zoi Florou
- Department of Medical Biopathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
- Antigoni Katsoulidou
- National Public Health Organization, 15123 Athens, Greece
- Spyros Sapounas
- National Public Health Organization, 15123 Athens, Greece
- George Sourvinos
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
- Spyridon Pournaras
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Attikon General University Hospital of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
- Efthymia Petinaki
- Department of Medical Biopathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
- Maria Goula
- State Dermatology Department, Hospital of Skin and Venereal Diseases, 54643 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Vassilios Paparizos
- 1st Department of Dermatology and Venereology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, “Andreas Syggros” Hospital for Skin and Venereal Diseases, 16121 Athens, Greece
- Anna Papa
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Theoklis Zaoutis
- National Public Health Organization, 15123 Athens, Greece
- Dimitrios Paraskevis
- National Public Health Organization, 15123 Athens, Greece
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/v15061384
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 15,
no. 6
p. 1384
Abstract
In May 2022, for the first time, multiple cases of mpox were reported in several non-endemic countries. The first ever case of the disease in Greece was confirmed on 8 June 2022, and a total of 88 cases were reported in the country until the end of April 2023. A multidisciplinary response team was established by the Greek National Public Health Organization (EODY) to monitor and manage the situation. EODY’s emergency response focused on enhanced surveillance, laboratory testing, contact tracing, medical countermeasures, and the education of health care providers and the public. Even though management of cases was considered successful and the risk from the disease was downgraded, sporadic cases continue to occur. Here, we provide epidemiological and laboratory features of the reported cases to depict the course of the disease notification rate. Our results suggest that measures for raising awareness as well as vaccination of high-risk groups of the population should be continued.
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