Monkeypox virus infection in pregnancy: description of two cases reported to the Colombian National Institute of Health

Abstract

Monkeypox (mpox), caused by the MPOXV (monkeypox virus), has been endemic in Africa since its first identification in 1958. However, in May 2022, the world witnessed the first global outbreak associated with the West African clade. Even though thousands of cases have been recorded, our understanding of vertical transmission during pregnancy remains restricted due to an absence of reported cases in pregnant women and a lack of adequate clinical descriptions. The cases of two pregnant women, ages 33 and 24, who tested positive for MPOXV at 31 and 13.4 weeks of gestation, respectively, are presented. In all cases, extensive clinical, histological, and molecular examinations of the mothers and neonates revealed no indication of vertical transmission.