Test for Mpox

Testing is conducted by swabbing the Mpox rash, so it is only possible to conduct testing for Mpox once a Mpox rash is present. Some locations (below) are regularly conducting this tests.

*Disclaimer: Patients should first check with their own healthcare provider to ask whether testing is available. Some providers may or may not be able to test patients outside of their network at this time.

Healthcare providers across Riverside County can conduct testing for Mpox by following the instructions below.

Corona Community Health Center

Address:
2813 S. Main St.
Corona, CA 92882

Walk in service available for Jynneos vaccine Wednesday through Sunday 8 AM-4:30 PM

Corona Regional Medical Center

Location:
800 South Main Street
Corona, CA 92882

Phone: (951) 737-4343

Web: Corona Regional Medical Center

DAP Health

Location:
1695 N. Sunrise Way
Palm Springs, CA 92262

Phone: (760) 323-2118

Web: Desert AIDS Project (dhcd.org)

Eisenhower Health

Location:
39000 Bob Hope Drive
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270

Phone: (760) 340-3911

Web: Eisenhower Health

Hemet Family Care Center

Location:
880 N. State St.
Hemet, CA 92543

Walk in service available for Jynneos vaccine Monday through Friday 8 AM – 4:30 PM

Indio Family Care Center

Location:
47-923 Oasis St.
Indio, CA 92201

Walk in service available for Jynneos vaccine Tuesday through Saturday 8 AM – 4:30 PM

Palm Springs Community Health Center (*at our new location)

Location:
191 N. Sunrise Way
Palm Springs, CA 92262

Walk in service available for Jynneos vaccine Monday through Friday 8 AM – 4:30 PM

Palm Springs Test

Location:
555 E Tachevah Dr Suite 1E-201
Palm Springs, CA 92262

Phone: (760) 299-6487

Web: Palm Springs TEST (healthypstest.org)

For Healthcare Professionals

Testing Recommendations

Healthcare providers should test any patients with suspected Mpox. This includes any patient with a new characteristic rash or patients with risk factors for Mpox and a new rash. The rash associated with Mpox can be confused with other rashes encountered in clinical practice including herpes, syphilis, and varicella and co-infections have been reported. Providers should wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to collect specimens (see Infection Control guidance below).

Patients presenting with perianal or genital ulcers, diffuse rash, or proctitis should also be evaluated for STIs. However, the diagnosis of an STI does not exclude Mpox as a concurrent infection may be present. The clinical presentation of Mpox may be similar to some STIs, such as syphilis, herpes, lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), or other etiologies of proctitis.

Commercial testing is available

Commercial testing for Mpox continues to expand. Testing is now available through Quest Diagnostics, LabCorp, Aegis Sciences and Mayo Clinic Laboratories. LabCorp, Mayo Clinic Laboratories, and Aegis Sciences are using the CDC’s orthopoxvirus test (which detects all non-smallpox related orthopoxviruses, including Mpox). The Quest assay is real time PCR test developed by Quest that detects DNA of non-variola orthopoxviruses and Mpox virus (West African clade)—see Quest FAQs. CDC anticipates additional commercial laboratories will come online this month.

Providers should submit specimens through commercial labs if possible. Follow specimen collection instructions provided by the laboratory. Public health approval is not required to submit specimens to a commercial lab, however providers should notify public health about patients suspected to have Mpox without waiting for results to return to allow for contact tracing efforts to begin expeditiously.

Providers using commercial labs must report all Riverside County residents with orthopoxvirus positive and/or presumptive positive test results (see Reporting).

Public Health Laboratory

Providers that do not have access to commercial orthopoxvirus testing, may request testing for suspected cases by submitting a Mpox intake form and photos of the rash/lesions via secure email to bcole@ruhealth.org

Testing Guidance

If a patient is evaluated and Mpox is high on the differential diagnosis, collect two swabs from two different lesions for preliminary and confirmatory testing as follows:

  1. Vigorously swab or brush lesion with two separate sterile dry polyester or Dacron swabs. (two from each lesion)
  2. Break off end of applicator of each swab into a sterile 1.5- or 2-mL screw-capped tube with O- ring or place 2 entire swabs in 2 separate sterile containers. Do not add or store in viral or universal transport media.
  3. The two separate sterile containers should be placed in 2 separate biohazard bags and refrigerated at 4C.

Specimens being tested through Public Health, will be picked by a RUHS courier, within 24 hours Monday through Friday. Store specimens at -80C if it is greater than 72 hours between specimen collection and pickup.

Swabs can be collected and stored at the proper temperature without waiting to discuss the case with Public Health. This will avoid outpatients needing to be recalled should they meet criteria for testing through Public Health.