Seroprevalence of Anti-Mpox Virus IgG Antibody and Awareness of Mpox Disease in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose. Mpox cases were previously common in children; recent outbreaks of clade II have mostly affected young adults. Therefore, this study examines the knowledge, attitudes, and seroprevalence of the Mpox virus among consenting participants in Ibadan. Materials and methods. Eligible individuals were those who voluntarily participated in the study and met the inclusion criteria specified for the study. A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 94 respondents, investigating socio-demographic factors, awareness levels, attitudes toward prevention, and infection rates. The anti-Mpox virus IgG antibody was detected quantitatively using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique. The data were then analyzed using the χ2 test, while the antibody quantification was displayed with a Box and Whisker plot; statistical significance was determined at p 0.05. Results. The majority of respondents were female (66.7%) and aged 58 years and above (20.0%). Most had tertiary (40.0%) and secondary education (34.4%). Awareness of the Mpox was moderate, with 61.1% having heard of the virus, primarily through news (20.0%) and healthcare workers (18.9%). However, knowledge gaps were evident: only 38.9% recognized symptoms, and 40.0% understood modes of transmission. Attitudes towards prevention were generally positive; 60.0% believed Mpox could be prevented, and 73.3% were willing to take a vaccine. Still, readiness to engage in screening was low; 81.1% had never been tested, and 58.9% were unaware of local test availability. Regarding seroprevalence, females showed a significantly higher infection rate (27.4%) than males (9.6%) (χ2 = 3.854, p = 0.050). Age-wise, the highest infection rates occurred in those 18 years (61.5%) and 53–57 years (66.6%) (χ2 = 30.817, p = 0.000), indicating significant age-related differences. Conclusion. The findings highlight the need for targeted public health education, increased test access, and focused intervention strategies to improve Mpox virus prevention and control, especially among vulnerable age groups and under-informed populations.