Mpox and Chickenpox Coinfection: Case Series From Southern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: We describe clinicoepidemiologic characteristics of mpox-chickenpox coinfection in Nigeria.

Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was performed of confirmed mpox cases in Nigeria from January 2022 to March 2023. Mpox and chickenpox were confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Results: Of 94 (60.0%) suspected cases, 56 had confirmed mpox, of whom 16 (28.6%) had chickenpox coinfection. The median age of confirmed mpox cases was 29 years (interquartile range, 20-37 years), 24 were men (60.7%), 6 (10.7%) were bisexual, and 5 (8.9%) died. Mpox-chickenpox-coinfected patients had more complications than mpox-monoinfected cases (56.3% vs 22.5%, P = .015).

Conclusions: The high frequency of mpox-chickenpox coinfection argues for accelerated access to mpox and chickenpox vaccines in Africa.

Keywords: Nigeria; chickenpox; coinfection; epidemiology; mpox; vaccine.