By Matthew Roscoe • Updated: 24 Aug 2022 • 17:46
Italian man returns from Spain with Covid, monkeypox AND HIV infections. Image: Maryna Olyak/Shutterstock.com
In what is believed to be a medical first, the 36-year-old tested positive for Covid, monkeypox AND HIV in early July after returning from Spain.
Nine days after returning from a trip to Spain, the man went to the emergency room at the Catania hospital, located in the ancient port city on Sicily’s east coast, Italy, on July 5. He had developed a fever, a sore throat and headache, fatigue and inflammation of his groin area.
Three days after the first symptoms, the man tested positive for Covid (his second case). Later that afternoon, a rash started to develop on his left arm, which then spread.
At the hospital, he tested positive for monkeypox, HIV and coronavirus variant BA.5.
On the third day of admission, almost all skin lesions started to turn into scabs and by day five almost all symptoms had resolved. The patient was discharged into home isolation.
It is believed that he had unprotected sex with men during his trip.
“This case highlights how the symptoms of monkeypox and COVID-19 can overlap and corroborates how in case of co-infection, history collection and sexual habits are crucial to making the correct diagnosis,” the authors of the Journal of Infection study said.
They added: “Of note, the monkeypox oropharyngeal swab was still positive after 20 days, suggesting that these individuals could still be infectious for several days after clinical remission. Doctors should encourage the adoption of appropriate precautions.
“Since this is the only reported case of co-infection with monkeypox virus, SARS-CoV-2 and HIV, there is still insufficient evidence to support that this combination could aggravate the patient’s condition. Given the current Covid-19 pandemic and the daily increase in monkeypox cases.”
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Originally from the UK, Matthew is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.
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