Monkeypox Rapid Test
Monkeypox Test IGG/IGM Test
INTRODUCTION
Monkeypox is used to be a viral zoonosis with symptoms very similar to those in smallpox patients, caused by by infection with Monkeypox virus. It is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus that belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family. Human monkeypox was first identified in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a 9-year-old boy in a region where smallpox had been eliminated in 1968. Since then, most cases have been reported from rural, rainforest regions of the Congo Basin, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and human cases have increasingly been reported from across Central and West Africa. In humans, the symptoms of monkeypox are similar to but milder than the symptoms of smallpox. Monkeypox begins with fever, headache, muscle aches, and exhaustion. The main difference between symptoms of smallpox and monkeypox is that monkeypox causes lymph nodes to swell (lymphadenopathy) while smallpox does not. The incubation period (time from infection to symptoms) for monkeypox is usually 7−14 days but can range from 5−21 days.
The Monkeypox virus IgG/IgM Rapid Test is intended for use with human whole blood, serum or plasma specimens only.
• Only clear, non-hemolyzed specimens are recommended for use with this test. Serum or plasma should be separated as soon as possible to avoid hemolysis.
• Perform testing immediately after specimen collection. Do not leave specimens at room temperature for prolonged periods. Serum and plasma specimens may be stored at 2-8°C for up to 3 days. For long term storage, specimens should be kept below -20 °C. Whole blood collected by venipuncture should be stored at 2-8°C if the test is to be run within 2 days of collection. Do not freeze whole blood specimens. Whole blood collected by fingerstick should be tested immediately.
• Containers containing anticoagulants such as EDTA, citrate, or heparin should be used for whole blood storage.
• Bring specimens to room temperature prior to testing. Frozen specimens must be completely thawed and mixed well prior to testing. Avoid repeated freezing and thawing of specimens.
• If specimens are to be shipped, pack them in compliance with all applicable regulations for transportation of etiological agents.
• Icteric, lipemic, hemolysed, heat treated and contaminated sera may cause erroneous results.