Government guidance on mpox states it is diagnosed by a PCR test for the virus on a viral swab taken from one or more vesicles or ulcers. Swabs should be sent in viral transport media.
Below is information as to how you carry out a test:
1. Ensure you are wearing the minimum appropriate PPE as above.
2. Take a viral swab in viral culture medium or viral transport medium from an open sore or from the surface of a vesicle. If other wounds are present, ensure that the sample is taken from a vesicle, an ulcer or a crusted vesicle. Rub the swab over the lesion and place the swab in the collection tube. If there are pharyngeal lesions, a throat swab should also be taken. Label the tube with the patient’s name and date of birth, the date and site of the sample. Unlabelled tubes cannot be processed.
3. A viral throat swab can be taken for high-risk contacts of a confirmed or highly probable case who have developed systemic symptoms but do not have a rash or lesions that can be sampled. Even if the throat swab is negative, the individual must continue with monitoring and isolation as instructed by their local health protection team, and should be reassessed and sampled if further symptoms develop.
4. Samples for investigation of other infections, including sexually transmitted infections, should be packaged separately, with separate request forms.
5. Samples should be sent to your normal local laboratory. Testing for other infections, for example HSV, varicella-zoster virus (VZV), or syphilis, should follow normal local procedures.
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
