Italy: 36-Year-Old Man Tests Positive for COVID-19, Monkeypox and HIV After 5-Day Stay in Spain

• A 36-year-old Italian man is undergoing recovery for both monkeypox and COVID-19 after a five-day trip to Spain
• Test results also showed that on top of the two ailments, the patient was also HIV-positive with a high viral load
• A look into the man's history showed that he was treated for syphilis and had unprotected sexual intercourse with men while on his recent trip

It all began when a 36-year-old Italian man started experiencing high fever, a sore throat, fatigue, and extreme headache after returning from a five-day trip to Spain.

On top of the above, he had a rash on his left arm followed by blisters across his body, prompting him to seek medical attention.

When medical tests were done, the results came back positive for monkeypox, COVID-19, and HIV simultaneously.

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Patient had intercourse with men in Spain

According to a report from the scientists, the HIV test showed that the patient (whose identity has been withheld) had a high viral load.

The man is said to have disclosed that he had "condomless intercourse with men during his stay in Spain."

"On physical examination his body was dotted, including the palm of the right hand and the perianal region, with skin lesions in various stages of progression," the report states.

He was discharged from the hospital after a week and was able to recover from both monkeypox and COVID-19.

The report further reveals that the man reported being treated for syphilis in 2019 and has also suffered from bipolar disorder in the past.

12 dead, over 45k confirmed positive for monkeypox

The case, according to researchers from the University of Catania, opens up the discussion on the fact that symptoms of monkeypox and COVID-19 may overlap.

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It also goes a long way in confirming that "co-infection, anamnestic collection and sexual habits" are vital elements in diagnosis.

"Our case emphasises that sexual intercourse could be the predominant way of transmission. Therefore, complete STI screening is recommended after a diagnosis of monkeypox," they posited.

Recent statistics on monkeypox indicate that over 45,000 cases of monkeypox and 12 deaths had been reported in 92 countries as of August 24.

Despite the majority of monkeypox infections being concentrated in Europe and the Americas, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus advised other countries to be prepared for monkeypox.

What is monkeypox and should South Africans be concerned about a possible outbreak?

Briefly News previously reported that people across the globe have been raising concerns about monkeypox after many news reports indicated that there is an outbreak of the disease in a few countries, which include the United States of America, the United Kingdom and some European countries.

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It seems as though some people have little knowledge about monkeypox, which has led to some panic about the recent outbreaks.

What is monkeypox?

Monkeypox is a virus that is closely related to diseases such as chickenpox, cowpox and smallpox and is normally transmitted from animals to human beings. The name monkeypox was first adopted in 1958 after research monkeys were found to have the disease.

Source: TUKO.co.ke