Ocular manifestations of Clade Ib mpox in four South-Kivu health zones, Democratic Republic of the Congo - PubMed
4 days ago
- #Democratic Republic of the Congo
- #ocular manifestations
- #mpox
- Study conducted in four health zones in South-Kivu Province, DRC, to describe ocular manifestations of Clade Ib mpox in hospitalized patients.
- 366 patients examined, with 57.4% male, median age of 8 years, and 71% under 15 years old.
- 51.9% of patients exhibited ocular symptoms, with redness (51.9%) being the most common, followed by pain (20.0%), itching (18.3%), and conjunctival discharge (16.7%).
- Conjunctivitis observed in 30.9% of patients, with other manifestations including blepharoconjunctivitis (7.4%), blepharitis (5.2%), and keratoconjunctivitis (3.3%).
- Ulcerative and non-ulcerative keratitis present in 2.5% and 2.2% of patients, respectively.
- Visual impairment recorded in 5.7% and blindness in 2.5% of patients.
- Early ophthalmic assessment recommended for timely diagnosis and treatment to improve outcomes.
- Healthcare workers advised to be alert for ocular symptoms in suspected and confirmed mpox cases.