Authors
Grace Mamibel Lassio, Harry César Kayembe, Emmanuel Hasivirwe Vakaniaki, Prince Akil Bandali, Germain Kapour Kieng Katsang, Kieng Katsang, Thérèse Tshibola, Tantan Mulamba Kalubi, Jerry Vandam Mukayonde, Didier Nkoko Bompangue
Published in
BMC infectious diseases. Jun 12, 2026. Epub Jun 12, 2026.
Abstract
Mpox is an emerging viral zoonosis whose transmission has gradually moved to urban settings since 2022. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological, clinical, and virological characteristics of confirmed cases of Mpox in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), between 2024 and 2025.
We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study using data collected from mpox treatment centers and the National Institute for Biomedical Research. Patients with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results and complete medical records were included in the study. We calculated incidence from laboratory-confirmed cases and described the geographic distribution at the health zone level. The chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate, as well as the Mann-Whitney test, were performed to compare sociodemographic, clinical, and virological characteristics.
Between 2024 and 2025, the vast majority of health zones were affected, with the highest incidences observed in urban areas: Limete, Bumbu, Kalamu II, Kokolo, and Lingwala. At the individual level, a higher proportion of positive mpox cases were observed among people aged 15 to 34 years (58.3%), married (33.3%), unemployed (27.6%), and involved in sex work (93.0%). In addition, comorbidities were rare but significant, with longer hospitalization (15 [9-20] days) and frequent reports of fever, pruritus, lymphadenopathy, and skin ulcers. Overall, 55.5% of laboratory-confirmed cases were associated with clade Ia, compared to 45.5% with clade Ib. In the most affected age group mentioned above, the proportion of clade Ia was higher in males, while clade Ib was prevalent in females.
Mpox in Kinshasa is characterized by persistent transmission in urban areas, affecting the majority of health zones, as well as by the co-circulation of subclades Ia and Ib. Young adults aged 15 to 34 years were the most affected group, with clade Ia predominance in males and clade Ib in females. These results highlight the need to strengthen epidemiological surveillance, early detection, and case follow-up to adapt mpox control strategies in the urban context of Kinshasa.
PMID:
42286531
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 13 Jun 2026.
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