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Mpox
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Mpox
Mpox (/ˈɛmpɒks/, EM-poks; originally known as monkeypox) is an infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and other animals. Symptoms include a rash that forms blisters and then crusts over, as well as fever and swollen lymph nodes. The illness is usually mild, and most infected individuals recover within a few weeks without treatment. The time from exposure to the onset of symptoms ranges from three to seventeen days, and symptoms typically last from two to four weeks. However, cases may be severe, especially in children, pregnant women, or people with suppressed immune systems.
The disease is caused by the monkeypox virus, a zoonotic virus in the genus Orthopoxvirus. The variola virus, which causes smallpox, is also in this genus. Human-to-human transmission can occur through direct contact with infected skin or body fluids, including sexual contact. People remain infectious from the onset of symptoms until all the lesions have scabbed and healed. The virus may spread from infected animals through handling infected meat or via bites or scratches. Diagnosis can be confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing a lesion for the virus's DNA.
Vaccination is recommended for those at high risk of infection. No vaccine has been developed specifically against mpox, but smallpox vaccines have been found to be effective. There is no specific treatment for the disease, so the aim of treatment is to manage the symptoms and prevent complications. Antiviral drugs such as tecovirimat can be used to treat mpox, although their effectiveness has not been proven.
Mpox is endemic in Central and Western Africa, where several species of mammals are suspected to act as a natural reservoir of the virus. The first human cases were diagnosed in 1970 in Basankusu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since then, the frequency and severity of outbreaks have significantly increased, possibly as a result of waning immunity since the cessation of routine smallpox vaccination. A global outbreak of clade II in 2022–2023 marked the first incidence of widespread community transmission outside of Africa. In July 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). The WHO reverted this status in May 2023, as the outbreak came under control, citing a combination of vaccination and public health information as successful control measures.
An outbreak of new variant of clade I mpox (known as clade Ib) was detected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during 2023. As of August 2024, it had spread to several African countries, raising concerns that it may have adapted to more sustained human transmission. In August 2024, the WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
In 1958, the pathogen that caused mpox was discovered following two incidents where monkey colonies were infected with a pox-like illness for research purposes. It was originally dubbed "monkeypox", but the exact origin of the disease is not known. It is believed that transmission from African rodents and non-human primates, including monkeys, is possible.
Beginning during the 2022 outbreak, public health experts and researchers, particularly in Africa, had urged the World Health Organization (WHO) to rename the disease. There had been racist comments on social media associating the disease's name with African populations. Stigmatizing remarks had also wrongly identified mpox as a "gay disease," as gay men, bisexuals, and men who have sex with men are among the most affected globally. This stigma is thought to deter individuals from seeking diagnosis, vaccination, and treatment, reminiscent of the early days of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the 1980s. Additionally, misinformation has incited violence against monkeys in certain regions, wrongly held accountable for transmitting monkeypox.
The WHO put forth its approval for the new name Mpox, which was gradually adopted as the preferred term in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) after December 2023. The name change retains a connection to poxviruses while making it easier to spell in various languages. The subtypes of mpox virus were also renamed; the clade formerly known as "Congo Basin (Central African)" was renamed clade I, and the clade formerly known as "West African" was renamed clade II. For the purpose of preserving access to historical records to facilitate research, the term monkeypox and old subtypes names will remain in the ICD database as searchable terms. Controversially, in September 2025, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) returned to using the name monkeypox, citing the monkeypox virus causes the disease.
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Mpox
Mpox (/ˈɛmpɒks/, EM-poks; originally known as monkeypox) is an infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and other animals. Symptoms include a rash that forms blisters and then crusts over, as well as fever and swollen lymph nodes. The illness is usually mild, and most infected individuals recover within a few weeks without treatment. The time from exposure to the onset of symptoms ranges from three to seventeen days, and symptoms typically last from two to four weeks. However, cases may be severe, especially in children, pregnant women, or people with suppressed immune systems.
The disease is caused by the monkeypox virus, a zoonotic virus in the genus Orthopoxvirus. The variola virus, which causes smallpox, is also in this genus. Human-to-human transmission can occur through direct contact with infected skin or body fluids, including sexual contact. People remain infectious from the onset of symptoms until all the lesions have scabbed and healed. The virus may spread from infected animals through handling infected meat or via bites or scratches. Diagnosis can be confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing a lesion for the virus's DNA.
Vaccination is recommended for those at high risk of infection. No vaccine has been developed specifically against mpox, but smallpox vaccines have been found to be effective. There is no specific treatment for the disease, so the aim of treatment is to manage the symptoms and prevent complications. Antiviral drugs such as tecovirimat can be used to treat mpox, although their effectiveness has not been proven.
Mpox is endemic in Central and Western Africa, where several species of mammals are suspected to act as a natural reservoir of the virus. The first human cases were diagnosed in 1970 in Basankusu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since then, the frequency and severity of outbreaks have significantly increased, possibly as a result of waning immunity since the cessation of routine smallpox vaccination. A global outbreak of clade II in 2022–2023 marked the first incidence of widespread community transmission outside of Africa. In July 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). The WHO reverted this status in May 2023, as the outbreak came under control, citing a combination of vaccination and public health information as successful control measures.
An outbreak of new variant of clade I mpox (known as clade Ib) was detected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during 2023. As of August 2024, it had spread to several African countries, raising concerns that it may have adapted to more sustained human transmission. In August 2024, the WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
In 1958, the pathogen that caused mpox was discovered following two incidents where monkey colonies were infected with a pox-like illness for research purposes. It was originally dubbed "monkeypox", but the exact origin of the disease is not known. It is believed that transmission from African rodents and non-human primates, including monkeys, is possible.
Beginning during the 2022 outbreak, public health experts and researchers, particularly in Africa, had urged the World Health Organization (WHO) to rename the disease. There had been racist comments on social media associating the disease's name with African populations. Stigmatizing remarks had also wrongly identified mpox as a "gay disease," as gay men, bisexuals, and men who have sex with men are among the most affected globally. This stigma is thought to deter individuals from seeking diagnosis, vaccination, and treatment, reminiscent of the early days of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the 1980s. Additionally, misinformation has incited violence against monkeys in certain regions, wrongly held accountable for transmitting monkeypox.
The WHO put forth its approval for the new name Mpox, which was gradually adopted as the preferred term in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) after December 2023. The name change retains a connection to poxviruses while making it easier to spell in various languages. The subtypes of mpox virus were also renamed; the clade formerly known as "Congo Basin (Central African)" was renamed clade I, and the clade formerly known as "West African" was renamed clade II. For the purpose of preserving access to historical records to facilitate research, the term monkeypox and old subtypes names will remain in the ICD database as searchable terms. Controversially, in September 2025, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) returned to using the name monkeypox, citing the monkeypox virus causes the disease.
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