Title : Investigation of a monkeypox outbreak in zouepleu, danane health district, tonkpi region, Cote d’Ivoire, february 2025

Auteurs: YAN Severin, E.Bohoussou,Y. Keita, P. Wilnique, I. Tiembre

Background: Mpox is an emerging zoonotic disease characterized by fever and a progressive skin rash that evolves from macules to papules, vesicles, pustules, and crusts. Severe disease may occur among children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals. As of January 26, 2025, Côte d’Ivoire had reported 109 confirmed Mpox cases, including one death. On February 26 and 27, 2025, two suspected Mpox cases were detected at Drongouiné Rural Health Center and later confirmed by laboratory testing on March 9, 2025. An outbreak investigation was conducted to describe the epidemiological characteristics of the outbreak and guide response measures.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional investigation was conducted in Zouepleu village, Drongouiné health area, Danané Health District. Standard Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) case definitions were used to identify suspected and confirmed Mpox cases.

Active case finding was undertaken through household visits and health facility record reviews. Sociodemographic, clinical, and epidemiological data were collected using a line list and analyzed with Microsoft Excel. Frequencies, proportions, and median age were calculated.

Results: A total of 32 suspected Mpox cases were identified, including two laboratory-confirmed cases and ten epidemiologically linked cases. The two confirmed cases were a male and a female, both aged 22 years. Thirty contacts were identified and monitored in the community. Among contacts, 56.3% were aged 15 years or older, 56.3% were male, and 31.3% were students. The median age of investigated individuals was 11 years (range: 1–68 years). All identified contacts were followed for 21 days, and no deaths were reported during the investigation period.

Conclusions: This investigation confirmed an Mpox outbreak in Zouepleu. Limited community awareness of the disease may have contributed to transmission. Strengthening surveillance, risk communication and community engagement, infection prevention and control measures, case management, and systematic contact follow-up are essential to interrupt transmission and prevent future outbreaks.

Keywords: Mpox, Outbreak Investigation, Surveillance, Contact Tracing, Danané, Côte d’Ivoire.

Mr. Severin YAN is a State Registered Nurse and Epidemiological Surveillance Officer at the Danané Health District, Côte d’Ivoire. He has more than four years of experience in disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, and public health emergency response. He completed the Frontline and Intermediate levels of the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) through AFENET. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Telemedicine from INFAS and Université Alassane Ouattara and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in the same field. His interests include epidemiological surveillance, One Health, digital health, outbreak preparedness, and health systems strengthening.