A German man’s nose has completely rotted after his case of monkeypox was misdiagnosed as sunburn.
The unidentified 40-year-old man came to doctors with a red bump at the end of his nose, which was initially dismissed as sunburn but was actually monkeypox. Over the following days, his condition rapidly worsened and he developed necrosis, according to a report by doctors at Bonn University Hospital.
monkeypox can be particularly severe in immunocompromised persons. Case report in man with undiagnosed HIV infection , nasal necrosis https://t.co/yVXFg4xT0X pic.twitter.com/9B9bCEBF2q
— Marion Koopmans (@MarionKoopmans) August 17, 2022
Necrosis is the death of most or all of the cells in an organ or tissues caused by disease, injury or a lack of blood flow. The man also developed lesions all over his body, consistent with many other cases of the virus, with a particular concentration around the penis and mouth, according to the report. A photo shared by the Bonn University Hospital doctors shows the man’s nose, which turned black with the skin having completely dried out and cracked.
In the course of STD testing, doctors discovered the man also had previously-undetected cases of syphilis and HIV, according to the report. The doctors said that HIV does not appear to be an increased risk factor for monkeypox as of now, although it can severely weaken the immune system.
He was treated with two separate medications for the HIV and syphilis infections and his condition gradually improved, with the nose partially improving with reduced swelling. (RELATED: WHO Urges People Not To Slaughter Monkeys Amid Monkeypox Outbreak)
There have still been no reported deaths in Europe or North America caused by the ongoing outbreak of monkeypox. The way this particular man was infected has not been made public, although the overwhelming majority of cases have been in men who have sex with other men.