Guidelines for the Laboratory Diagnosis of Monkeypox in Korea

• Published in: Annals of laboratory medicine Vol. 43; no. 2; pp. 137 - 144
• Main Authors: Hong, Ki Ho, Kim, Gab Jung, Roh, Kyoung Ho, Lee, Hyukmin, Park, Ok Kyu, Kim, Taek Soo, Kim, Jae-Seok, Lee, Jaehyeon, Seong, Moon-Woo, Kim, So Yeon, Park, Jae-Sun, Park, Younhee, Huh, Hee Jae, Ryoo, Namhee, Kim, Hyun Soo, Sung, Heungsup, Yoo, Cheon Kwon
• Format: Journal Article Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine 01-03-2023
• Subjects: Clinical Laboratory Techniques; COVID-19 - diagnosis; Guideline; Humans; Mpox (monkeypox) - diagnosis; Pandemics; Republic of Korea; Republic of Korea; Laboratory diagnosis; Monkeypox; PCR; Guidelines; Korea
• ISSN: 2234-3806; 2234-3814
• DOI: 10.3343/alm.2023.43.2.137

While the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic is ongoing, monkeypox has been rapidly spreading in non-endemic countries since May 2022. Accurate and rapid laboratory tests are essential for identifying and controlling monkeypox. Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine and the Korea Disease Prevention and Control Agency have proposed guidelines for diagnosing monkeypox in clinical laboratories in Korea. These guidelines cover the type of tests, selection of specimens, collection of specimens, diagnostic methods, interpretation of test results, and biosafety. Molecular tests are recommended as confirmatory tests. Skin lesion specimens are recommended for testing in the symptomatic stage, and the collection of both blood and oropharyngeal swabs is recommended in the presymptomatic or prodromal stage.