Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41551841›Full record

ArticleGlobal epidemiology2026

Undetected circulation of monkeypox virus in Portugal: Evidence for a 50-day gap before first detection.

Rita Cordeiro, Fernando da Conceição Batista, Ana Pelerito, Isabel Lopes de Carvalho, Sílvia Lopo, Raquel Neves, Raquel Rocha, Paula Palminha, Maria José Borrego, Maria Sofia Núncio and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Global epidemiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

11 authors.

Rita CordeiroEmergency Response and Biopreparedness Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal.
Fernando da Conceição BatistaSchool of Technology and Management, Centre for Rapid and Sustainable Product Development, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Leiria, Portugal.
Ana PeleritoEmergency Response and Biopreparedness Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal.
Isabel Lopes de CarvalhoEmergency Response and Biopreparedness Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal.
Sílvia LopoNational Reference Laboratory for Sexually Transmitted Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge Lisbon, Portugal.
Raquel NevesNational Reference Laboratory for Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal.
Raquel RochaNational Reference Laboratory for Sexually Transmitted Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge Lisbon, Portugal.
Paula PalminhaNational Reference Laboratory for Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal.
Maria José BorregoNational Reference Laboratory for Sexually Transmitted Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge Lisbon, Portugal.
Maria Sofia NúncioEmergency Response and Biopreparedness Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal.
João Paulo GomesGenomics and Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

As mpox continues to spread globally, proactive monitoring and preparedness are crucial to minimize impact and enhance response strategies. Using a mathematical model combining a negative binomial distribution with Richards' logistic curve, we reconstructed the hidden phase of mpox transmission in Portugal, offering insights into the timing and dynamics of the initial outbreak. The analysis of 950 PCR-positive and 986 negative cases suggested that symptom onset occurred between March 24 and April 2, 2022, with March 27 identified as the most probable date. This study delineates the likely period of silent circulation of MPXV in Portugal, providing a clearer understanding of early outbreak dynamics and surveillance performance. Possible imperfections in early diagnostic testing and limited awareness of mpox may have contributed to delayed recognition of the outbreak. By demonstrating how retrospective mathematical modelling can estimate undetected transmission periods, our findings highlight the value of such approaches in epidemic reconstruction and underscore the importance of strengthening early surveillance systems to detect undiagnosed transmission of mpox in non-endemic countries.

Indexed as

First caseMathematical modellingMpoxPortugalSurveillanceSymptom onset

Identifiers

PMID41551841
PMCPMC12811671

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.