DuPage County Outpatient/Emergency Department Clinicians, Infectious Diseases Physicians, Hospital Infection Preventionists, and Laboratory Professionals,

Please read and reference the items in this toolkit for DuPage County Health Department’s (DCHD) current process for monkeypox virus (MPV) diagnostic testing and resources, and share this information with your providers and colleagues as relevant. 

Commercial lab testing has become available (e.g., Labcorp, Mayo Clinic Laboratories, and Quest Diagnostics) and healthcare providers are encouraged to order testing for patients meeting clinical criteria through these commercial laboratories.

Patients should be told to isolate until results are known, and if positive, until all sores have healed, and a fresh layer of skin has formed. 

Providers are to collect two samples from a lesion using sterile dry polyester, rayon or Dacron swabs that should be readily available in most offices.

For MPV testing not performed at a commercial lab, public health approval for MPV testing is required before specimens may be sent to Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). 

DCHD monkeypox toolkit for providers

We created a document that outlines the testing process for healthcare providers: DuPage County Process for Monkeypox Virus (MPV) Diagnostic Testing Toolkit (Updated 7/14/2022). You can reach out to the commercial lab from which you would be ordering monkeypox testing (e.g., Quest, Labcorp) to obtain supplies.

CDC’s Infection Prevention and Control of Monkeypox in Healthcare Settings is a great resource that details patient placement, PPE, waste management, and environmental infection control measures that should be taken to prevent exposure and spread to healthcare professionals providing evaluation and care for a person suspected to have monkeypox.

If you suspect or diagnose a monkeypox case, please contact our Communicable Disease & Epidemiology group for more information. They can be reached at 630-221-7553.

 If vaccine is indicated and available, we may be able to transfer the doses directly to your practice to be administered to the exposed healthcare workers and/or close contact patients. We would brief you on the process beforehand and ensure you are aware of all of the storing, handling, and reporting requirements.

 The JYNNEOS vaccine supply is extremely limited right now, which limits eligibility. Currently, the people who are eligible for vaccination include: 

Named contacts of identified cases of Monkeypox in occupational and community settings (PEP) and;

Gay, bisexual, and other men (cisgender or transgender) who are 18 years or older who (PEP++)

If you know of someone who works or lives in DuPage County and is eligible for vaccine, they can call our main line at 630-682-7400 where they will be screened and (if deemed eligible) scheduled an appointment. As vaccine supply remains extremely limited, it may be a 1-2 week wait to get an appointment.

If you are treating a person with monkeypox who resides in DuPage County and would like to request antiviral treatment (tecovirimat or TPOXX) for them, please contact DuPage County Health Department by phone, during regular hours please contact DCHD at (630) 221-7553 or after hours at (630) 682-7400 and request to speak with the Communicable Disease and Epidemiology staff member on call. We have a limited supply on hand and can request additional courses through the CDC, as needed.