First case of rapidly fatal mpox from secondary (household) transmission in a kidney transplant recipient

Abstract

In 2022, a global outbreak of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) was reported outside of areas considered endemic for the disease, predominantly in persons identifying as men who have sex with men, gay, or bisexual. To date, 3 cases of mpox in solid organ transplant recipients have been published; however, no instances of secondary transmission among solid organ transplant recipients have been reported. Here, we report a case of a 53-year-old male kidney transplant recipient who contracted mpox while caring for a household contact with the disease. The patient's clinical and laboratory findings during his rapidly fatal course, autopsy findings, and genomics analysis are presented, emphasizing the need for expanded pre-exposure prophylaxis efforts in patient populations without the risk factors prioritized by public health authorities for vaccination.