Editorial: Current Status of Non-Endemic Global Infections with the Monkeypox Virus

Abstract

Monkeypox is caused by an orthopoxvirus, which is a DNA virus. Monkeypox is a zoonotic viral infection that has been endemic in West Africa and Central Africa for over a decade. Between 1 January and 22 June 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 3,413 laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox from 50 countries. Most cases (86%) were reported from Europe, with 2% from Africa and 11% from North and South America. In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified an outbreak of monkeypox on May 17, 2022. In 99% of cases, the patients were men, 94% reported male-to-male sexual contact or intimate contact in the three weeks before they experienced symptoms of infection, 46% reported one or more genital lesions, and 41% had HIV infection. This initial data from the US showed widespread community transmission of monkeypox that mainly affected bisexual, gay, other men who had sex with men, and also ethnic and racial minority groups. Therefore, public health efforts in the US aim to prioritize these specific demographic groups for infection prevention and testing. By August 4, 2022, the US Department of Health and Human Services declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency. This Editorial aims to present the current status of non-endemic global infections with the monkeypox virus, and current strategies for its prevention and management.