ETIDIOH - NEW

  {Excerpt} Highlights -- All clades of monkeypox virus (MPXV) continue to circulate in several countries.  - When mpox outbreaks are not rapidly contained and human-to-human transmission is not interrupted, they continue to pose a risk of sustained community transmission .   -- Since the last edition of this report, one new country, the Gambia , has reported an mpox case for the first time.  - Genomic sequencing analysis has identified clade IIb MPXV.  -- Furthermore, Mozambique, has reported cases of mpox due to clade Ib MPXV for the first time.   -- Twenty-one countries in Africa have reported ongoing mpox transmission in the past six weeks.  - Clade IIb MPXV continues to be reported in West Africa, while Central African countries report both clade Ia and clade Ib MPXV, and East African countries report clade Ib MPXV.  -- The recent overall downward trend of confirmed cases across the continent is driven by the decline in cases in Sie...

Abstract Mpox was first identified against the backdrop of the smallpox eradication campaign. Monkeypox virus (MPXV), the causative agent of mpox, has been maintained in animal reservoirs in the forested regions of West and Central Africa as 2 distinct clades ; clade I has historically caused more severe infection in Central Africa than clade II , historically found in West Africa . However, rapid reemergence and spread of both MPXV clades through novel routes of transmission have challenged the known characteristics of mpox. We summarize mpox demographic distribution , clinical severity , and case-fatality rates attributed to genetically distinct MPXV subclades and focus on MPXV clade Ib, the more recently identified subclade. Broad worldwide assistance will be necessary to halt the spread of both MPXV clades within mpox endemic and nonendemic regions to prevent future outbreaks. Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/8/24-1551...

  Highlights • All clades of monkeypox virus (MPXV) continue to circulate in several countries. When mpox outbreaks are not rapidly contained and human-to-human transmission is not interrupted , they continue to pose a risk of sustained community transmission .   • Since the last edition of this report, no new countries have reported cases of clade Ib MPXV for the first time.   • Nineteen countries in Africa have reported ongoing mpox transmission in the past six weeks. Clade IIb MPXV continues to be reported in West Africa , while Central African countries report both clade Ia and clade Ib MPXV, and East African countries report clade Ib MPXV .  • The recent overall downward trend of confirmed cases across the continent is driven by the decrease in cases in Sierra Leone , the Democratic Republic of the Congo , and some reporting delays. Challenges with access to testing continue in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.   • An upward trend has bee...

  {Summary} The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) is hereby transmitting the report of the fourth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee (Committee) regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024 , held on Thursday, 5 June 2025, from 12:00 to 17:00 CEST. Concurring with the advice unanimously expressed by the Committee during the meeting, the WHO Director-General determined that the upsurge of mpox 2024 continues to meet the criteria of a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) and, accordingly, on 9 June 2025, issued temporary recommendations to States Parties, available here.   The WHO Director-General expresses his most sincere gratitude to the Chair, Members, and Advisors of the Committee. (...) Source: World Health Organization,  https://www.who.int/news/item/10-07-2025-fourth-meeting-of-the-international-health-regulations-(2005)-emergency-committee-regarding-the-upsurge-of-mpox-2024 ____

Summary Background Clade I monkeypox virus is endemic in DR Congo. We aim to describe the epidemiological trends of the cocirculating subclades Ia and Ib mpox outbreaks in Kinshasa, DR Congo. Methods This retrospective observational study included suspected and laboratory-confirmed mpox cases reported between Jan 1, 2023, and Oct 31, 2024, in Kinshasa. Skin lesion swabs or blood samples were collected as part of a routine countrywide mpox surveillance programme. To confirm the diagnosis of mpox, all samples were tested at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) using real-time PCR. Whole-genome sequencing was conducted for phylogenomic analysis and assessment of APOBEC3 type mutations. Samples that remained unassigned to subclade Ia or Ib after whole-genome sequencing and real-time PCR were labelled as an unknown subclade. Findings As part of routine disease surveillance, 1479 suspected mpox cases were reported in Kinshasa. Samples were collected from 1314 suspected mpox ...

Abstract Zoonotic diseases pose global public health threats, prompting various interventions to limit their emergence and spread . One increasingly common response by governments has been to ban wildlife hunting , trade and consumption. However, there is limited evidence of the effectiveness of wildlife trade bans . Here we assess compliance with Nigeria’s wildlife trade ban—enacted to curb the spread of mpox (formerly monkeypox)—by analysing approximately 4.5 years of wild meat sales data from 19 vendors in southeast Nigeria (988 vendor-months) alongside interviews with vendors and law enforcement officials. After matching the sales data by time of year, we found no significant differences before and after the ban in the number of vendors selling wild meat per week, the weekly mass of wild meat sold, or the weekly price per kilogram of wild meat; however, the total weekly sales price was higher post-ban. These findings, supported by interview insights, indicate widespread non-complia...

Abstract In 2022-23, the world witnessed the largest recorded outbreak of monkeypox virus (MPXV). Neurological manifestations were reported alongside the detection of MPXV DNA and MPXV-specific antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients. Here, we analyze the susceptibility of neural tissue to MPXV using human neural organoids (hNOs) exposed to a clade IIb isolate . We report susceptibility of several cell types to the virus, including neural progenitor cells and neurons . The virus efficiently replicates in hNOs, as indicated by the exponential increase of infectious viral titers and establishment of viral factories . Our findings reveal focal enrichment of viral antigen alongside accumulation of cell-associated infectious virus , suggesting viral cell-to-cell spread . Using an mNeonGreen-expressing recombinant MPXV, we confirm cell-associated virus transmission . We furthermore show the formation of beads in infected neurites, a phenomenon associated with neurodegenerative diso...

{Summary) KEY FIGURES   {Area - Number of reported confirmed cases - Number of deaths among confirmed cases - Number of reporting countries} -- Global (1 Jan – 31 May 2025)* - 24 672 - 82 - 75  Key countries (01 Jan – 22 June 2025) - Democratic Republic of the Congo - 12 208 - 22 - ... - Uganda - 5636 - 31  - ... - Sierra Leone - 4294 - 28 - ... - Burundi - 1079 - 0 - ... {*} Most recent global surveillance data available. Highlights • In May 2025, a total of 6823 confirmed mpox cases and 16 deaths (Case Fatality Ratio: 0.2%) were reported from 49 countries across all WHO regions. • The majority of mpox cases continue to be reported from the WHO African Region , with 18 countries currently experiencing active ongoing transmission. • Since the last report, Ethiopia and Italy have reported their first cases of mpox due to clade Ib monkeypox virus (MPXV). In addition, North Macedonia, the Republic of the Congo, and Togo have reported their first cases of mpox clade IIb MPXV ...

Abstract Emerging as a major global health threat, Mpox previously known as Monkeypox has drawn attention due to a worrying surge in cases . This zoonotic disease , native to Central and West Africa , is marked by fever, rash, and lymphadenopathy and is primarily spread through direct contact with infected animals or people and indirectly through contaminated objects. Recent studies have indicated possible sexual transmission , underscoring how human behavior and environmental changes are increasing its prevalence, even though human-to-human transmission is less efficient than that of smallpox . Mpox is endemic in several African countries , and currently, the infection has spread in non-endemic countries, including Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya . Democratic Republic of Congo is the epicenter of the current Mpox outbreak. From January 1, 2022, to August 6, 2024, sixteen African countries reported Mpox outbreak. Several factors, including population immunity deficiencies and changes to the ...

Fourth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024 – Temporary recommendations The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), following the fourth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR)   Emergency Committee regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024 , held on 5 June 2025, from 12:00 to 17:00 CEST, concurs with its advice that the event continues to meet the criteria of a public health emergency of international concern and, considering the advice of the Committee, he is hereby issuing a revised set of temporary recommendations. The WHO Director-General expresses his most sincere gratitude to the Chair, Members, and Advisors of the Committee. The proceeding of the fourth meeting of the Committee will be shared with States Parties to the IHR and published in the coming days. Temporary recommendations These temporary recommendations   are issued to  States Parties   experienci...

Abstract Mpox clade Ib is significant as it is associated with human cases and plays a key role in understanding the transmission and public health implications of mpox outbreaks. Here we present a case report of the first confirmed human infection of clade Ib in China , which occurred in December 2025 in Zhejiang Province. The case was a 28-year-old woman from South Africa who had sexual contact with an asymptomatic man from the Democratic Republic of the Congo . She presented with disseminated vesicular lesions on the extremities, face, buttocks, trunk, palms, and dorsum of the hands, but lesions were absent from the oral cavity, perineum, and anus. By the 18th day post-onset (DPO), only vesicles remained on the dorsum of the right foot and in the finger web spaces, with complete resolution by the 24th DPO. Among 59 consecutive samples collected, 55 tested positive for mpox virus . Oropharyngeal swabs turned negative by the 16th DPO, while skin lesion samples, urine samples, and scab...

Summary Background The JYNNEOS modified vaccinia virus Ankara vaccine is effective in preventing clade IIb mpox disease . However, vaccine effects on mpox severity are poorly understood. We aimed to assess associations between reported clinical characteristics and vaccination status among individuals with laboratory-confirmed mpox. Methods We conducted a case–control study using data collected from public health surveillance interviews of people with mpox in California . Eligible participants for primary analyses were men who were cisgender and participated in telephone interviews with complete responses recorded about anatomical sites where they had lesions. We estimated JYNNEOS vaccine effectiveness against progression to disease involving disseminated lesions via the adjusted odds ratio of vaccination, comparing participants who reported lesions disseminated across multiple anatomical regions (cases) with participants who reported lesions contained to a single anatomical region (con...

Summary Background Mpox, caused by the monkeypox virus, is a serious public health threat in Africa , especially in DR Congo . Previously limited to endemic areas with clade 1a, monkeypox virus has recently spread to non-endemic regions, where clade 1b has emerged . This study provides a clinical comparison of mpox cases in DR Congo regions where clade 1a and clade 1b are prevalent. Methods We conducted a retrospective observational study , analysing PCR-confirmed mpox cases reported from sentinel health zones in seven provinces between Oct 1, 2023, and Sept 31, 2024. Cases from the newly affected provinces (South-Kivu and Kinshasa) were described along with those from four endemic provinces (Mai-Ndombe, Tshuapa, Tshopo, South-Ubangi, and Équateur). Surveillance data, including type of exposure, demographic details, clinical presentation, complications, and outcomes were collected from national surveillance systems and local health facilities, with laboratory confirmation using quantit...

Abstract Several concurrent mpox outbreaks are ongoing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo . We report a case of severe clade Ia mpox in an adult woman with indeterminate HIV status who died 16 days after symptom onset. She self-identified as a sex worker and had spent time in the capital city, Kinshasa. Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/5/24-1690_article ____

Summary Background More than 115 000 cases of mpox have been confirmed since the onset of a global outbreak in 2022. In addition to global transmission of clade II monkeypox virus (MPXV), the recent spread of clade I has caused a Public Health Emergency of International Concern . The third-generation smallpox vaccine modified vaccinia Ankara–Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN) was recommended for at-risk populations in 2022, despite a scarcity of data on safety and effectiveness against mpox. Methods We did a prospective, multicentre, observational study, enrolling men who have sex with men and transgender people aged 18 years or older with changing sexual partners in Germany (Safety and Effectiveness of MVA-BN Vaccination Against MPXV Infection [SEMVAc]) between July 7, 2022, and Dec 31, 2023, evaluating safety and reactogenicity of one and two doses of subcutaneous MVA-BN. Vaccine effectiveness was estimated using risk ratios from the Kaplan–Meier estimator in an emulated retrospective target t...

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) is hereby transmitting the report of the third meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee (Committee) regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024, held on Tuesday, 25 February 2025, from 12:00 to 17:00 CET . Concurring with the advice unanimously expressed by the Committee during the meeting, the WHO Director-General determined that the upsurge of mpox 2024 continues to meet the criteria of a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) and, accordingly, on 27 February 2025, issued temporary recommendations to States Parties. The WHO Director-General expresses his most sincere gratitude to the Chair, Members, and Advisors of the Committee. Proceedings of the meeting Sixteen (16) Members of, and two Advisors to, the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee (Committee) were convened by teleconference, via Zoom, on Tuesday, 25 February 2025, from 12:00 to 17:00 CET...

The antiviral drug tecovirimat used without other antivirals did not reduce the time to clinical resolution of clade II mpox lesions or improve pain control among adults in an international clinical trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  The trial enrollment was stopped in late 2024 when an interim analysis showed that tecovirimat monotherapy was ineffective in the study population. Detailed results were presented at the 2025 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in San Francisco. “This study brought us a step forward in better understanding mpox disease and potential treatment strategies,” said Jeanne Marrazzo, M.D., M.P.H., director of NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which sponsored and funded the trial. “We are grateful to the study team and participants for their contributions to groundbreaking research on a disease that we still do not know enough about.” Mpox is caused by a virus that spreads ...