Mpox
In light of its recent resurgence and emergency declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Microbiology Society is bringing together research on mpox.
Mpox is a zoonotic viral infectious disease, a double-stranded DNA virus species belonging to the genus Orthopoxvirus, which includes two distinct clades: clade 1 and clade 2. Mpox infection is transmitted by close skin contacts or breathing, and results in skin lesions, flu-like symptoms and can result in fatal outcomes. Clade 1 has been historically linked to the Congo Basin while Clade 2 is associated with West Africa and caused the global outbreak that occurred from 2022 to 2023, classed at the time as public health emergency by the WHO. Mpox is classified within the genus Orthopoxvirus and is a member of the Poxviridae family, which the WHO has identified as having the potential for epidemic or pandemic outbreaks. Significant concerns arose in recent weeks due to the spread of a new outbreak linked to Clade 1b displaying increased mortality when compared to previous cases, which prompted an upped response from the WHO.
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