Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40750592›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Serological evidence of clade Ib Mpox transmission by sex workers and within household in South Kivu, DRC.

Leandre Murhula Masirika, Luca M Zaeck, Pacifique Ndishimye, Jean Claude Udahemuka, Saria Otani, Frank M Aarestrup, Leonard Schuele, Babs E Verstrepen, Scott Jones, Ashley Otter and 8 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Leandre Murhula Masirika *Centre de Recherche en Sciences Naturelles de Lwiro, South Kivu, DS, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. leandremurhula@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-0688-5688
Luca M Zaeck *Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7997-493X
Pacifique NdishimyeStansile, Kigali, Rwanda.
Jean Claude UdahemukaStansile, Kigali, Rwanda.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8370-7113
Saria OtaniResearch Group for Genomic Epidemiology, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.
Frank M AarestrupResearch Group for Genomic Epidemiology, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7116-2723
Leonard SchueleDepartment of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1721-5879
Babs E VerstrepenDepartment of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Scott JonesEmerging Pathogen Serology Group, Vaccine Development Evaluation and Preparedness Centre, UK Health Security Agency, Wiltshire, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6006-2455
Ashley OtterEmerging Pathogen Serology Group, Vaccine Development Evaluation and Preparedness Centre, UK Health Security Agency, Wiltshire, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8317-9194
Corine H GeurtsvanKesselDepartment of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7678-314X
Jean Pierre MusabyimanaStansile, Kigali, Rwanda.
Justin Bengehya MbiribindiDivision Provinciale de la Santé, South Kivu, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Jules Minega NdoliUniversity Teaching Hospital of Butare, Huye, Rwanda.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1705-2099
Bas B Oude MunninkDepartment of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9394-1189
Freddy Siangoli BelesiCongo Outbreaks, Research for Development, South Kivu, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Marion P G KoopmansDepartment of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5204-2312
Rory D de VriesDepartment of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. r.d.devries@erasmusmc.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2817-0127

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Understanding secondary attack rates is a key knowledge gap in the ongoing clade Ib mpox virus (MPXV) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Here, we report the first cross-sectional serological study to investigate local MPXV clade Ib transmission in South Kivu, DRC. Seropositivity was defined as a detectable titer in a cell lysate-based screening ELISA and confirmation by virus neutralization test. Sera were collected in November and December 2023 (n = 120), and in May 2024 (n = 48) from professional sex workers (PSW) and visitors of 25 bars with reports of mpox cases. We detected serological evidence for MPXV infection in 18% and 17% of these sera, respectively, indicating that PSW played an important role in MPXV clade Ib transmission in this region. Additionally, sera from 108 direct contacts of mpox cases from 34 households were collected between September 2023 and May 2024. Serological evidence for MPXV infection was found in at least one serum sample in 50% of households, including in nine households with seropositive minors, providing evidence for close-contact household transmission. Serological studies are needed to comprehend the extent and severity of the ongoing MPXV outbreak, and may be used to guide targeted vaccination strategies, particularly for high-risk groups.

Indexed as

Mpox, MonkeypoxSex WorkersAdolescentAdultAntibodies, ViralCross-Sectional StudiesDemocratic Republic of the CongoDisease OutbreaksEnzyme-Linked Immunosorbent AssayFamily CharacteristicsFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSeroepidemiologic StudiesYoung AdultAntibodies, Viral

Identifiers

PMID40750592
PMCPMC12317074

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.