Abstract: Objective This study aims to clarify the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of monkeypox in Shenzhen. Method Retrospective analysis of the clinical characteristics, blood analysis results, ultrasound examination, and other data of 49 monkeypox patients hospitalized at Shenzhen Third People's Hospital from June 9 to July 18, 2023. Collect epidemiological information and summarize demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, laboratory examination results, complications, treatment, and prognosis data. Result All of these patients were monkeypox virus-positive (49/49, 100%) by PCR test, and all the patients were men (49/49, 100%). The patients were relatively young, with a median age of 29 (21～48) years, and an average age of 30. 45 out of 49 patients were male sexual contacts (91.84%), and two were bisexual (4.08%). The average time of hospitalization was 6.55 days, and the average incubation period was 8.64 days. Among these patients, 30 were with HIV infection（61.2%), 17 were with syphilis (34.69%), 1 was with lymphoma (2.04%) and 4 were perianal abscess (8.16%). 90% (27/30) of monkeypox patients with HIV infection received anti-retroviral therapy (ART). All patients presented with skin rash, which mainly affected the anus and genitals (38/49, 77.55%), trunk and limbs (34/49, 69.39%), face (19/49, 38.79%), soles and palms (2/49, 4.08%). Most patients had lymphadenopathy in the groin (43/49, 87.76%), neck (36/49, 73.5%), armpit (26/49, 53.06%), and supraclavicular fossa (5/49, 10.2%). The proportion of fever and rash in anal genital in non-HIV infected cases is significantly higher than that in HIV-infected cases (P＜0.05). Conclusion Our study showed that transmission of monkeypox in Shenzhen was found mainly in the MSM population. Monkeypox is generally mild in this study. Cases without HIV-infected have a higher proportion of fever and rash in anal and genital.

Key words: Monkeypox, Epidemiology, Clinical characteristics, Men who have sex with men, Complications