ETIDIOH - NEW

  Summary Background The expanding mpox outbreak in Africa and travel-associated cases in other continents have increased efforts to vaccinate populations at high risk. This study aimed to assess serological immune responses 5 years after individuals received a primary vaccination (two-dose series) with the smallpox and mpox vaccine modified vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN), as well as to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a third dose (booster). To date, there are no data for immunological memory or third-dose-induced immunity for MVA-BN at these long-term timescales. Methods In this open-label, prospective cohort extension, we re-enrolled health-care workers from a 2017 vaccination study in Bokungu Health Zone, DR Congo, to receive a third dose of MVA-BN. All previous participants were offered the opportunity to re-enrol. Participants were grouped according to whether they had received a childhood smallpox vaccination with a replication-competent vaccine strain (hi...

  Summary Background Mpox is a public health concern in eastern DR Congo . It continues to cause substantial numbers of hospital admissions , with changing demographics including children and adolescents , requiring comprehensive clinical and epidemiological investigation . In this study, we aim to describe the clinical characteristics of hospitalised participants infected with monkeypox virus (MPXV) subclade Ib/2023sh in the Kabare Territory in South Kivu , DR Congo. Methods This observational cohort study included patients admitted with suspected mpox to the reference centre of mpox treatment at Lwiro Hospital, South Kivu , DR Congo. Eligible participants must have had, at the time of inclusion, skin lesions compatible with the infection. Individuals who did not present lesions compatible with MPXV infection were also eligible if they had at least one of the following symptoms: fever, cervical lymphadenopathy, or pharyngitis , provided they had been in contact with someone with s...

  Abstract Mpox is a zoonosis caused by the monkeypox virus . Here, we report Mali’s index Mpox case , which was clinically identified at the Mali–Guinea border by the national telemedicine center and confirmed by PCR . The library prepared with NextGenPCR™ MPXV Sequencing Library Prep and sequenced on Minion MK1C revealed a genome length of 197,122 bp with an average depth of 1284.4×. The strain belonged to Clade IIb G1 lineage and exhibited 85 mutations relative to NC_063383.1. To decipher genomic epidemiology, genomes ≥ 195 kb were retrieved from NCBI and aligned with MAFFT. Time-resolved phylogenetic reconstruction and ancestral trait inference were performed with TreeTime v0.11.4. A median joining network was built with Popart v1.7. Phylogeographic analysis revealed clustering with Clade IIb (G.1 lineage) linked to the May 2025 outbreak in Sierra Leone . Source:  Link:  https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/18/3/294 ____

  Abstract Background Tecovirimat is approved for smallpox treatment under the Food and Drug Administration Animal Rule on the basis of efficacy in nonhuman primate models of mpox (previously known as monkeypox). However, the clinical efficacy of tecovirimat against human clade II mpox is unclear . Methods In a phase 3, international, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, we evaluated the efficacy of oral tecovirimat in adults with laboratory-confirmed clade II mpox. Participants were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive tecovirimat or placebo for 14 days. The primary outcome was clinical resolution, assessed in a time-to-event analysis in participants with active skin or mucosal lesions. Secondary outcomes included reduction in pain, assessed in all participants with laboratory-confirmed mpox and in those with severe pain at baseline (pain score, 7 to 10; scale, 0 [no pain] to 10 [worst pain imaginable]); complete lesion healing (assessed in a time-to-event an...

  Highlights     • Transmission of mpox continues in sexual networks , affecting both women and men , and in some historically endemic areas .  - All clades of monkeypox virus (MPXV) continue to circulate.  - Unless mpox outbreaks are rapidly contained and human-to-human transmission is interrupted , there is a risk of sustained community transmission .  • In January 2026, 50 countries across all WHO regions reported a total of 1334 new confirmed mpox cases , including three deaths (case fatality ratio [CFR] 0.2%).  - Of these cases , 66% were reported in the African Region.  • Four regions observed a decline in confirmed cases in January, compared to December 2025, while the European Region reported an increase in confirmed cases. • Twenty countries in Africa reported active transmission of mpox in the last six weeks (5 January – 15 February 2026), with 1142 confirmed cases, including four deaths (CFR 0.4%).  - Countries reporting the highes...

  {Excerpt} Overall Global Risk Statement    -- This global rapid risk assessment (RRA) aims to assess the current public health risk associated with the 2024 upsurge of mpox in in Africa , in the context of the continuing global reporting of mpox cases in other regions since 2022, with a focus on updates since the previous RRA in September 2025.     Global overview   -- As of 28 January 2026, the monkeypox virus (MPXV) continues to spread globally, causing both localized and extended mpox outbreaks driven by various MPXV clades (Ia, Ib, IIa, and IIb) in diverse settings.  -- Furthermore, recombination of MPXV clades has been documented, with two cases of a recombinant clade Ib/IIb MPXV strain reported in recent months.   -- Globally, from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2025 (latest global data available), 143 countries and territories across all WHO regions have reported 177 848 confirmed cases, including 477 deaths (case fatality ratio ...

  Situation at a glance Recombination of monkeypox virus (MPXV) strains has been documented in recent months , with two cases of a recombinant strain comprising clade Ib and IIb MPXV reported.  Recombination is a known natural process that can occur when two related viruses infecting the same individual exchange genetic material , producing a new virus.  The first case was detected in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (hereafter “United Kingdom”), with travel history to a country in South-East Asia , and the second in India , with travel history to a country in the Arabian Peninsula .  Detailed analysis of the virus genomes shows that the two individuals fell ill several weeks apart with the same recombinant strain , suggesting that there may be further cases than are currently reported .  Both cases had similar clinical presentation to that observed for other clades.  Neither patient experienced severe outcomes.  Contact tracing...

  Abstract Mpox, caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV; Orthopoxvirus monkeypox), is on the rise in West and Central Africa . African rodents , especially squirrels , are suspected to be involved in MPXV emergence , but no evidence of a direct transmission to humans or non-human primates has been established. Here we describe an outbreak of MPXV in a group of wild sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus atys) in Taï National Park (Côte d’Ivoire). The outbreak affected one-third of the group, killing four infants . To track its origin, we analysed rodents and wildlife carcasses from the region. We identified a MPXV-infected fire-footed rope squirrel (Funisciurus pyrropus), found dead 3 km from the mangabey territory 12 weeks before the outbreak. MPXV genomes from the squirrel and the mangabey were nearly identical. A video record from 2014 showed a mangabey from this group eating the same squirrel species and diet metabarcoding of faecal samples collected from mangabeys before the outbreak identi...

  Abstract We examined 89 travel-related clade Ib monkeypox virus cases detected in 33 countries during August 2024–July 2025 . Most cases were among men ; about one third led to secondary transmission . Secondary transmission risk was highest among sexual, then household, contacts. Those groups should be the focus of response strategies and interventions. Source:  Link:  https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/32/2/25-1530_article ____

  ABSTRACT Vaccinia virus (VACV) confers cross-protective immunity against monkeypox virus (MPXV), the causative agent of mpox, and has therefore been extensively exploited as a preventive vaccine . VACV Tiantan strain (VTT) is a second-generation smallpox vaccine used in China in the last century, and there are consistent efforts to minimize its virulence and ensure its best safety for potential clinical applications. In this study, an attenuated VACV rVTT△C12K2△A45 was constructed by deletion of gene segments related to virulence genes , host range genes, immune regulatory genes, and other functional genes from the VTT genome by genetic engineering. Attenuation characteristics of rVTT△C12K2△A45 were confirmed by smaller plaque size, lower replication capacity in various mammalian cell lines along with tests for neurotoxicity in mice , and lesion formation on rabbit skin . Immunization in BALB/c mice with rVTT△C12K2△A45 induced both anti-MPXV and anti-VACV neutralizing antibodies ...

  Highlights • All clades of monkeypox virus (MPXV) continue to circulate.  - Unless mpox outbreaks are rapidly contained and human-to-human transmission is interrupted, there is a risk of sustained community transmission .   • At the time of reporting, data from the WHO European Region for December 2025 had not yet been submitted; therefore, the information presented below does not include the European Region .  • In December 2025 , 31 countries across five WHO regions (European Region excluded) reported a total of 1040 new confirmed mpox cases , including six deaths (case fatality ratio [CFR] 0.6%).  - Of these cases, 78% were reported in the African Region .  - Four regions observed a decline in confirmed cases in December, compared to November 2025, while the Eastern Mediterranean Region reported more cases than the previous month.      • Fifteen countries in Africa reported active transmission of mpox in the last six weeks (7 Decemb...

Abstract Monkeypox (MPOX) is an emerging zoonotic disease caused by monkeypox virus (MPXV), an orthopoxvirus closely related to smallpox . Initially confined to endemic regions in Central and West Africa , MPOX has recently gained global significance with outbreaks reported across multiple continents . MPXV is maintained in animal reservoirs but is increasingly transmitted from person to person , facilitated by close contact, respiratory droplets , and, in some cases, sexual transmission . Clinically, MPOX presents with fever, lymphadenopathy, and a characteristic vesiculopustular rash , though atypical manifestations have been observed in recent outbreaks, complicating diagnosis. Laboratory confirmation relies on molecular testing , while differential diagnosis must consider varicella, herpes, and other vesicular illnesses. Therapeutic options remain limited ; supportive care is the cornerstone of management, but antivirals such as tecovirimat and brincidofovir, as well as smallpox va...

ABSTRACT Faced with the global monkeypox outbreak, current vaccine development predominantly focuses on the mRNA platform despite its limitations in stability and long-term efficacy. Here, we engineered a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV)-vectored cocktail vaccine encoding four conserved monkeypox virus (MPXV) antigens (A35R, A29L, M1R, and B6R; >94% clade homology), leveraging the thermostable properties of the VSV platform validated for 4°C storage in Ebola vaccines. In BALB/c mice , this multi-antigen vaccine elicited a rapid humoral response with specific IgG detectable by day 7, effectively neutralized the virus, and induced a robust Th1/Th2 balanced cytokine response . Immunization conferred 100% survival against lethal vaccinia virus WR strain challenge , with undetectable viral loads in the lungs and serum , and sustained efficacy against secondary infection at 60 days. Histopathology confirmed minimal lung damage in vaccinated mice . Crucially, upon the successi...

{Summary} Highlights     • All clades of monkeypox virus (MPXV) continue to circulate.  - Unless mpox outbreaks are rapidly contained and human-to-human transmission is interrupted , there is a risk of sustained community transmission .   • In November 2025, 48 countries across all WHO regions reported a total of 2150 new confirmed mpox cases , including five deaths ( case fatality ratio [CFR] 0.2%).  - About 68% of these cases were reported in the African Region .  - Four regions observed a decline in confirmed cases in November, compared to October 2025, while the European and Western Pacific regions reported more cases than the previous month.      • Nineteen countries in Africa reported active transmission of mpox in the last six weeks (2 November– 14 December 2025), with 1435 confirmed cases , including seven deaths (CFR 0.5%).  - Countries reporting the highest number of cases in this period are the Democratic Republic of the ...

  {Summary} Highlights     • All clades of the monkeypox virus (MPXV) continue to circulate.  - When mpox outbreaks are not rapidly contained and human-to-human transmission is not interrupted, there is a risk of sustained community transmission .   • In October 2025, 44 countries , across all WHO regions, reported a total of 2501 new confirmed mpox cases , including 12 deaths (case fatality ratio [CFR] 0.5%).  - About 75% of these cases were reported in the African Region .  - All regions, apart from the South-East Asia Region observed a decline in confirmed cases in October, compared to September 2025.      • Twenty-one countries in Africa have reported active transmission of mpox in the last six weeks (12 October – 23 November 2025), with 1734 confirmed cases , including 10 deaths (CFR 0.6%) reported during this period.  - Countries reporting the highest number of cases in this period are the Democratic Republic of the Congo...

  Latest update The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified a new recombinant mpox virus in England in an individual who had recently travelled to Asia .   -- Genomic sequencing showed that the mpox genome contained elements of clade Ib and IIb mpox .  -- This is not unexpected as both clades are circulating , but highlights the continued potential for mpox virus to evolve and the importance of continued genomic surveillance.     -- UKHSA continues to assess the significance of the strain.   Dr Katy Sinka, Head of Sexually Transmitted Infections at UKHSA, said:    '' Our genomic testing has enabled us to detect this new mpox strain . It’s normal for viruses to evolve, and further analysis will help us understand more about how mpox is changing.   '' Although mpox infection is mild for many, it can be severe . Getting vaccinated is a proven effective way to protect yourself against severe disease, so please make su...

  Situation at a glance The purpose of this report is to raise awareness about the local transmission of clade Ib monkeypox virus (MPXV) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in countries previously unaffected or to date reporting only cases linked to travel.  This report summarizes recent epidemiological developments , response activities, and the associated global public health risk .  The second declaration of a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) for mpox was lifted on 5 September 2025.  As both MPXV clades I and II and their subclades continue to circulate globally, leading to substantial outbreaks in African countries , WHO continues to advise emergency preparedness and response activities .  Multiple modes of transmission underlie ongoing virus circulation , with sexual contact remaining the primary amplifier of transmission in most settings.  Since 5 September 2025, several countries across four of six WHO regions have confirmed...