Mpox Specimen Collection, Storage, Preparation, and Laboratory Diagnostics by PCR

David Lowe; Whitni Davidson; Kimberly Wilkins; Nicolle Baird

doi:10.1007/978-1-0716-4160-6_2

Mpox Specimen Collection, Storage, Preparation, and Laboratory Diagnostics by PCR

Methods Mol Biol. 2025:2860:15-26. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-4160-6_2.

Authors

David Lowe¹, Whitni Davidson², Kimberly Wilkins², Nicolle Baird²

Affiliations

¹ National Center for Immunizations and Respiratory Diseases, Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Laboratory Branch, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. [email protected].
² National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.

PMID: 39621258
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-4160-6_2

Abstract

During the 2022 and ongoing mpox outbreak, PCR diagnostics were already within the Laboratory Response Network (LRN) laboratories and additionally rapidly deployed to detect monkeypox (mpox) virus in patients and aid in accurate diagnosis. This accuracy is dependent on proper collection, shipment, and adherence to PCR procedure. This book chapter discusses effective collection, storage, and transportation for a real-time PCR to detect monkeypox virus nucleic acid.

Keywords: Diagnostic testing; Monkeypox virus; Mpox; Real-time PCR.

MeSH terms

Humans
Monkeypox virus* / isolation & purification
Mpox (monkeypox)
Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction* / methods
Specimen Handling* / methods