Characteristics of women diagnosed with mpox infection compared to men: A case series from Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Cisgender men were mostly affected during the 2022 mpox multinational outbreak, with few cases reported in women. This study compares the characteristics of individuals diagnosed with mpox infection according to gender in Rio de Janeiro. METHODS: We obtained surveillance data of mpox cases notified to Rio de Janeiro State Health Department (June 12 to December 15, 2022). We compared women (cisgender or transgender) to men (cisgender or transgender) using chi-squared, Fisher's exact, and Mood's median tests. RESULTS: A total of 1306 mpox cases were reported; 1188 (91.0%) men (99.8% cisgender, 0.2% transgender), 108 (8.3%) women (87.0% cisgender, 13.0% transgender), and 10 (0.8%) non-binary persons. Compared to men, women were more frequently older (40+years: 34.3% vs. 25.1%; p < 0.001), reported more frequent non-sexual contact with a potential mpox case (21.4% vs. 9.8%; p = 0.004), fewer sexual partnerships (10.9 vs. 54.8%; p < 0.001), less sexual contact with a potential mpox case (18.5% vs. 43.0%; p < 0.001), fewer genital lesions (31.8% vs. 57.9%; p < 0.001), fewer systemic mpox signs/symptoms (38.0% vs. 50.1%; p = 0.015) and had a lower HIV prevalence (8.3% vs. 46.3%; p < 0.001), with all cases among transgender women. Eight women were hospitalized; no deaths occurred. The highest number of cases among women were notified in epidemiological week 34, when the number of cases among men started to decrease. CONCLUSIONS: Women diagnosed with mpox presented differences in epidemiological, behavioral, and clinical characteristics compared to men. Health services should provide a comprehensive assessment that accounts for gender diversity.

Cascade of access to interventions to prevent HIV mother to child transmission in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the access to the interventions for the prevention of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) mother to child transmission and mother to child transmission rates in the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, from 1999 to 2009. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study. Prevention of HIV mother to child transmission interventions were accessed and mother to child transmission rates were calculated. RESULTS: The study population is young (median: 26 years; interquartile range: 22.0-31.0), with low monthly family income (40.4% up to one Brazilian minimum wage) and schooling (62.1% less than 8 years). Only 47.1% (n=469) knew the HIV status of their partner; of these women, 39.9% had an HIV-seronegative partner. Among the 1259 newborns evaluated, access to the antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum prevention of HIV mother to child transmission components occurred in 59.2%, 74.2%, and 97.5% respectively; 91.0% of the newborns were not breastfed. Overall 52.7% of the newborns have benefited from all the recommended interventions. In subsequent pregnancies (n=289), 67.8% of the newborns received the full package of interventions. The overall rate of HIV vertical transmission was 4.7% and the highest annual rate occurred in 2005 (7.4%), with no definite trend in the period. CONCLUSIONS: Access to the full package of interventions for the prevention of HIV vertical transmission was low, with no significant trend of improvement over the years. The vertical transmission rates observed were higher than those found in reference services in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro and in the richest regions of the country.