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Review
. 2023 Jan 16;13(1):249.
doi: 10.3390/life13010249.

Current Insights into Diagnosis, Prevention Strategies, Treatment, Therapeutic Targets, and Challenges of Monkeypox (Mpox) Infections in Human Populations

Mitesh Patel  1 , Mohd Adnan  2 , Abdu Aldarhami  3 , Abdulrahman S Bazaid  4 , Nizar H Saeedi  5 , Almohanad A Alkayyal  5 , Fayez M Saleh  6 , Ibrahim B Awadh  7 , Amir Saeed  4 , Khalid Alshaghdali  4
Affiliations
Review

Current Insights into Diagnosis, Prevention Strategies, Treatment, Therapeutic Targets, and Challenges of Monkeypox (Mpox) Infections in Human Populations

Mitesh Patel et al. Life (Basel). .

Abstract

In the wake of the emergence and worldwide respread of a viral infection called Monkeypox (Mpox), there is a serious threat to the health and safety of the global population. This viral infection was endemic to the western and central parts of Africa, but has recently spread out of this endemic area to various countries, including the United Kingdom (UK), Portugal, Spain, the United States of America (USA), Canada, Sweden, Belgium, Italy, Australia, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Israel, and Mexico. This is a timely review focusing on recent findings and developments in the epidemiology, clinical features, therapeutic targets, diagnosis, prevention mechanisms, research challenges and possible treatment for Mpox. To date (29 November 2022), there have been around 81,225 reported cases of Mpox. In most cases, this illness is mild; however, there is a fatality rate ranging from 1 to 10%, which might be increased due to associated complications and/or secondary infections. There is a real challenge in the diagnosis of Mpox, since its symptoms are very similar to those of other infections, including smallpox and chickenpox. Generally, to prevent/limit the risk and transmission of Mpox, the detection and isolation of infected individuals, as well as hand hygiene and cleanliness, are essential and effective approaches to control/combat this viral infection. Nevertheless, updated information about Mpox from different angles is lacking. Thus, this review provides updated and comprehensive information about the Mpox illness, which should highlight the global burden, pathogenicity, symptoms, diagnosis, prevention measures and possible treatment of this emerging disease.

Keywords: Monkeypox virus; Mpox; emerging diseases; infectious diseases; orthopoxvirus; zoonotic disease.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A world map showing the distribution of Monkeypox (Mpox) cases around the world based on suspected and confirmed cases as of 29 November 2022 (Source—https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/Mpox/response/2022/world-map.html, accessed on 30 November 2022).
Figure 2
Figure 2
The transmission routes of the Monkeypox (Mpox) virus.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Frequently occurring symptoms of MPXV in humans.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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