Grupo del CIBERSP coordinado por Ängela Domínguez
CIBER | miércoles, 11 de marzo de 2026
A study led by the CIBER (Centers for International Business Education and Research) has found that individuals living with HIV did not experience more severe cases of mpox during the multi-regional outbreak recorded in Spain in 2022, compared to those without HIV. This finding is significant as mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, posed a public health concern globally.
The research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, analyzed 1,158 confirmed cases of mpox in adult men reported between June 2022 and January 2023 across seven Spanish autonomous communities – representing over half of all cases recorded in Spain during that period. “Spain had the highest accumulated incidence of mpox during the outbreak in Europe, which gives special relevance to the results obtained,” said Aina March-Yagüe, the first author, and senior author Angela Domínguez, researchers in the Epidemiology and Public Health area of CIBER (CIBERESP), both from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the University of Barcelona.
Data from the study indicated that 35% of cases were among people living with HIV. Among those without HIV, approximately 43% were using pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infection.
“In all groups studied, transmission was primarily associated with sexual networks, especially among men who have sex with men, confirming the pattern observed internationally during the 2022 outbreak,” the research team noted.
Clinically, individuals with HIV were more likely to experience fever and skin lesions in locations other than the genital or oral areas, as well as a higher prevalence of other types of immunosuppression. However, the study found that the progression of the illness was favorable in all groups analyzed, with no admissions to intensive care units or deaths reported, and low and similar hospitalization rates between people with and without HIV.
Comparative analysis revealed important differences between people with HIV and those without HIV who were using PrEP. Among PrEP users, the most frequent symptoms were fatigue, generalized swollen lymph nodes, and the presence of other sexually transmitted infections. This group also reported greater exposure to risk situations, such as attending large events, engaging in sexual activity in leisure settings, and participating in chemsex – the combination of drugs and sexual activity. Individuals with HIV, however, more frequently presented with skin alterations outside of the genital and oral areas, and were more likely to require hospitalization, though this did not affect the overall severity of their condition. The research team emphasized that the results highlight the necessitate to adapt mpox prevention and control strategies to different risk profiles, integrating prevention into sexual health, HIV, and PrEP programs. They also underscored the importance of strengthening evidence-based, non-stigmatizing interventions focused on the social and behavioral determinants of transmission.
The study was conducted by researchers from the CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP) and the CIBER of Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), in collaboration with epidemiological surveillance services and healthcare centers in several autonomous communities.
Proyecto MONKPOX-ESP22
This is a multi-center initiative designed to comprehensively evaluate the clinical and microbiological impact of the mpox outbreak in patients. The project is led by Mª Paz Sánchez-Seco and Jesús Oteo, CIBER researchers at the National Microbiology Center of the ISCIII.
Referencia del estudio
March-Yagüe A. Et al. Mpox in people living with and without HIV, including people on PrEP, during a multistate outbreak in Spain in 2022. Scientific Reports (2026). DOI : 10.1038/s41598-026-37209-3
