Officials Announce First Case of Monkeypox in Missouri

The Kansas City Health Department (KCHD) and Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) announced on Saturday, June 18, a single probable monkeypox case in a Kansas City, Missouri, resident with recent out-of-state travel history.

Initial testing was completed at the Missouri State Public Health Laboratory, and confirmatory testing for monkeypox is pending at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Based on initial epidemiologic characteristics and the positive orthopoxvirus result at the state laboratory, health officials consider this a probable monkeypox infection.

Monkeypox is initially spread to a person through an infected animal in an endemic area, which could occur through a bite or scratch or any contact with the animal’s body or lesion fluids.

Although some have speculated whether monkeypox could be sexually transmitted, given the large number of cases in men who have sex with men, it’s not known if the virus can be spread through semen or vaginal fluids. But as Andrea McCollum, the CDC’s expert on monkeypox, has said, close contact “certainly occurs during intimate contact.” 

KCHD disease investigators are working to determine if the patient may have been in contact with any individuals while infectious. Health officials will make notification with any individuals if they are deemed at risk for exposure. This contact tracing approach is appropriate given the nature and transmission of the virus. The person did not require hospitalization. To protect patient confidentiality, no further details relating to the patient will be disclosed.

Suspected cases may present with early flu-like symptoms and progress to lesions that may begin on one site on the body and spread to other parts. Illness could be clinically confused with a sexually transmitted infection like syphilis or herpes, or with varicella zoster virus.

KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story