Mpox unveiled: Global epidemiology, treatment advances, and prevention strategies

Mpox (monkeypox), caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), is a zoonotic disease from the Poxviridae family, closely related to smallpox. It presents with high fever, rash, and pustules, with human-to-human transmission first reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970. Historically, such tran...

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Main Authors: Anna Bogacka, Agnieszka Wroczynska, Weronika Rymer, Paweł Grzesiowski, Ravi Kant, Maciej Grzybek, Miłosz Parczewski
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:One Health
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771425000667
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author Anna Bogacka
Agnieszka Wroczynska
Weronika Rymer
Paweł Grzesiowski
Ravi Kant
Maciej Grzybek
Miłosz Parczewski
author_facet Anna Bogacka
Agnieszka Wroczynska
Weronika Rymer
Paweł Grzesiowski
Ravi Kant
Maciej Grzybek
Miłosz Parczewski
author_sort Anna Bogacka
collection DOAJ
description Mpox (monkeypox), caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), is a zoonotic disease from the Poxviridae family, closely related to smallpox. It presents with high fever, rash, and pustules, with human-to-human transmission first reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970. Historically, such transmissions were rare, but since 2022, an alarming global surge in infections began, originating in the United Kingdom. By mid-2024, 99,176 cases and 208 deaths were reported in 116 countries, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) twice, in 2022 and 2024. Although vaccines for smallpox have shown partial efficacy against MPOX, viral transmission persists, and there is no specific therapy or vaccine developed solely for Mpox. Current treatments rely on therapies designed for smallpox, including antivirals like tecovirimat, brincidofovir, and cidofovir.The aim of this review is to provide an updated overview of the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and management strategies of MPOX. We discuss recent progress in diagnosis, treatment, and vaccine development while addressing key prevention strategies. Mpox risk remains high in regions like the Democratic Republic of Congo, moderate in other African countries, and lower globally, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM), where sexual transmission predominates. Diagnosis is based on clinical presentation, confirmed by PCR testing of skin lesions or swabs, while HIV testing is recommended for adults with Mpox. Preventive measures, including isolation and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), are essential, alongside the use of two available vaccines, Jynneos and ACAM2000, which show partial efficacy against Mpox.
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spelling doaj-art-78aea30c67f44d148a96d4cb341fc3dd2025-08-20T03:21:50ZengElsevierOne Health2352-77142025-06-012010103010.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101030Mpox unveiled: Global epidemiology, treatment advances, and prevention strategiesAnna Bogacka0Agnieszka Wroczynska1Weronika Rymer2Paweł Grzesiowski3Ravi Kant4Maciej Grzybek5Miłosz Parczewski6Department of Tropical and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Health Science with Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Poland; Corresponding author at: Department of Tropical and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Health Science with Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Powstania Styczniowego 9b, 81-519 Gdynia, Poland.Family Travel Health Advisory Clinic, Vaccination Reference Center, Polanki Children's Hospital, Gdansk, Poland; Polish Institute of Evidence-Based Medicine, Kraków, PolandPolish Institute of Evidence-Based Medicine, Kraków, Poland; Lower Silesian Center for Oncology, Pulmonology and Hematology; University of Opole, Faculty of Medicine, PolandGeneral Sanitary Inspectorate, Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Tropical Parasitology, Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, PolandClinic of Infectious, Tropical Diseases and Acquired Immunodeficiencies, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, PolandMpox (monkeypox), caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), is a zoonotic disease from the Poxviridae family, closely related to smallpox. It presents with high fever, rash, and pustules, with human-to-human transmission first reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970. Historically, such transmissions were rare, but since 2022, an alarming global surge in infections began, originating in the United Kingdom. By mid-2024, 99,176 cases and 208 deaths were reported in 116 countries, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) twice, in 2022 and 2024. Although vaccines for smallpox have shown partial efficacy against MPOX, viral transmission persists, and there is no specific therapy or vaccine developed solely for Mpox. Current treatments rely on therapies designed for smallpox, including antivirals like tecovirimat, brincidofovir, and cidofovir.The aim of this review is to provide an updated overview of the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and management strategies of MPOX. We discuss recent progress in diagnosis, treatment, and vaccine development while addressing key prevention strategies. Mpox risk remains high in regions like the Democratic Republic of Congo, moderate in other African countries, and lower globally, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM), where sexual transmission predominates. Diagnosis is based on clinical presentation, confirmed by PCR testing of skin lesions or swabs, while HIV testing is recommended for adults with Mpox. Preventive measures, including isolation and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), are essential, alongside the use of two available vaccines, Jynneos and ACAM2000, which show partial efficacy against Mpox.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771425000667Monkey poxZoonosesCladesRashPHEIC
spellingShingle Anna Bogacka
Agnieszka Wroczynska
Weronika Rymer
Paweł Grzesiowski
Ravi Kant
Maciej Grzybek
Miłosz Parczewski
Mpox unveiled: Global epidemiology, treatment advances, and prevention strategies
One Health
Monkey pox
Zoonoses
Clades
Rash
PHEIC
title Mpox unveiled: Global epidemiology, treatment advances, and prevention strategies
title_full Mpox unveiled: Global epidemiology, treatment advances, and prevention strategies
title_fullStr Mpox unveiled: Global epidemiology, treatment advances, and prevention strategies
title_full_unstemmed Mpox unveiled: Global epidemiology, treatment advances, and prevention strategies
title_short Mpox unveiled: Global epidemiology, treatment advances, and prevention strategies
title_sort mpox unveiled global epidemiology treatment advances and prevention strategies
topic Monkey pox
Zoonoses
Clades
Rash
PHEIC
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771425000667
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AT pawełgrzesiowski mpoxunveiledglobalepidemiologytreatmentadvancesandpreventionstrategies
AT ravikant mpoxunveiledglobalepidemiologytreatmentadvancesandpreventionstrategies
AT maciejgrzybek mpoxunveiledglobalepidemiologytreatmentadvancesandpreventionstrategies
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