Diagnostic and surveillance testing capability for mpox in the EU/EEA, September 2024

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Rising mpox cases due to monkeypox virus (MPXV) clade I in Africa.
• First reported travel-related mpox case (clade Ib) in the EU/EEA.
• Need to assess EU/EEA's mpox detection and characterization capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To survey the national capabilities for MPXV detection and characterization within EU/EEA countries.
• To evaluate the preparedness of EU/EEA laboratories for mpox surveillance.

Main Methods:

• Survey conducted by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
• Assessment of laboratory capabilities for PCR-based case confirmation.
• Evaluation of molecular typing methods for MPXV clade and subclade identification.

Main Results:

• High-level capability for mpox case confirmation by PCR across EU/EEA nations.
• Established molecular typing methods for identifying MPXV clades and clade I subclades.
• EU/EEA laboratories demonstrate strong capacity for mpox characterization.

Conclusions:

• EU/EEA possesses a high level of preparedness for detecting and characterizing MPXV.
• National capabilities support effective surveillance and response to mpox.
• The findings indicate a strong public health infrastructure for managing viral threats.