Top 5 Takeaways

1. First Reported U.S. Case of Monkeypox from Needlestick in Healthcare: A nurse in Florida contracted monkeypox from a needlestick injury while collecting a swab from a patient’s lesion.
2. Immediate Post-Exposure Measures: The nurse received prompt medical attention, including washing the wound and postexposure prophylaxis with the JYNNEOS vaccine.
3. Development of a Lesion and Isolation: Ten days post-exposure, a lesion developed at the needlestick site, leading to self-isolation and lesion management at home.
4. Laboratory Confirmation of Monkeypox: PCR testing confirmed the presence of monkeypox virus in the lesion, with no further spread or additional symptoms.
5. CDC Recommendations and Low Risk of Transmission: The CDC advises against certain practices like unroofing lesions with needles, emphasizing standard infection control to minimize transmission risk among healthcare personnel.

Note:

This MMWR Article was created prior to the conventional renaming of Monkeypox to its more standard and appropriate name, Mpox. To avoid confusion, Monkeypox is retained when writing this article, but all future works should use Mpox.

Original Article Author and Citation

Corresponding Author

Julia Petras, jpetras@cdc.gov

Suggested Citation

Mendoza R, Petras JK, Jenkins P, et al. Monkeypox Virus Infection Resulting from an Occupational Needlestick — Florida, 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:1348–1349. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7142e2 .

Summary

This report documents the first known case in the U.S. of a healthcare professional contracting monkeypox due to an occupational needlestick. The incident occurred in July 2022 in Florida when a nurse experienced a needlestick injury while collecting a lesion swab from a monkeypox patient.

Methods

The nurse’s injury was immediately treated with soap, water, and Betadine, followed by vaccination with JYNNEOS. The nurse continued working under careful monitoring and with preventive measures like wearing a surgical mask and gloves.

Discussion

The report highlights the risks associated with certain procedures, like recapping used needles and unroofing lesions, in the management of monkeypox. The prompt and effective response to the nurse’s exposure, along with adherence to CDC guidelines, minimized the risk and prevented further spread.

Conclusion

This case underscores the importance of strict adherence to infection control practices in healthcare settings. While the overall risk of transmission to healthcare personnel is low with standard precautions, specific incidents like this highlight the need for continuous education and adherence to safety protocols to prevent similar occurrences.

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