Establishment of a regional Mpox surveillance network in Central Africa: shared experiences in an endemic region

Emmanuel Hasivirwe Vakaniaki^{1

2}, Sydney Merritt³, Sylvie Linsuke¹, Emile Malembi⁴, Francisca Muyembe¹, Lygie Lunyanga¹, Andrea Mayuma¹, Papy Kwete¹, Thierry Kalonji⁴, Joule Madinga¹, Matthew LeBreton⁵, Emmanuel Nakoune⁶, Ernest Kalthan⁷, Sevidzem Shang⁸, Julius Nwobegahay⁸, Odianosen Ehiakhamen⁹, Elsa Dibongue¹⁰, Jean-Médard Kankou¹¹, Bernard Erima¹², Denis K Byarugaba¹², Paige Rudin Kinzie¹³, Franck Mebwa¹⁴, Francis Baelongandi¹⁴, Aimé Kayolo¹⁵, Pépin Nabugobe¹⁶, Dieudonné Mwamba¹⁶, Jean Malekani¹⁷, Beatrice Nguete¹⁸, Didine Kaba¹⁸, Lisa E Hensley¹⁹, Jason Kindrachuk²⁰, Laurens Liesenborghs^{2

21}, Robert Shongo⁴, Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum^#^{1

22}, Nicole A Hoff^#³, Anne W Rimoin^#²³, Placide Mbala-Kingebeni^#^{24

25}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), School of Medicine, University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
² Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
³ Department of Epidemiology, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Gordon-Levin Endowed Chair in Infectious Diseases and Public Health, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, 650 Charles E. Young Dr, CHS 41-275, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
⁴ National Program for Monkeypox and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers, Ministry of Health, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
⁵ Mosaic, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
⁶ Pasteur Institute of Bangui, Bangui, Central African Republic.
⁷ Ministry of Health and Populations, Bangui, Central African Republic.
⁸ Military Health Research Center (CRESAR), Yaoundé, Cameroon.
⁹ Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja, Nigeria.
¹⁰ Cameroon National Program for the Prevention and Control of Emerging and Re-Emerging Zoonoses, Ministry of Health, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
¹¹ Epidemiology and Disease Control Department, Ministry of Public Health, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.
¹² Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
¹³ Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
¹⁴ Division Provinciale de La Santé de La Tshopo, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
¹⁵ Epidemiological Surveillance Department, Kinshasa, Ministry of Health, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
¹⁶ National Institute of Public Health, Kinshasa, Ministry of Health, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
¹⁷ Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
¹⁸ Kinshasa School of Public Health, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
¹⁹ Zoonotic and Emerging Disease Research Unit, National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Manhattan, KS, USA.
²⁰ Department of Medical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
²¹ Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
²² Microbiology Service, Department of Medical Biology, Cliniques Universitaires de Kinshasa, University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
²³ Department of Epidemiology, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Gordon-Levin Endowed Chair in Infectious Diseases and Public Health, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, 650 Charles E. Young Dr, CHS 41-275, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA. arimoin@ucla.edu.
²⁴ Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), School of Medicine, University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. mbalaplacide@gmail.com.
²⁵ Microbiology Service, Department of Medical Biology, Cliniques Universitaires de Kinshasa, University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. mbalaplacide@gmail.com.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 40045429
PMCID: PMC11881381
DOI: 10.1186/s41256-025-00408-y

Establishment of a regional Mpox surveillance network in Central Africa: shared experiences in an endemic region

Emmanuel Hasivirwe Vakaniaki et al. Glob Health Res Policy. 2025.

. 2025 Mar 5;10(1):14.

doi: 10.1186/s41256-025-00408-y.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), School of Medicine, University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
² Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
³ Department of Epidemiology, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Gordon-Levin Endowed Chair in Infectious Diseases and Public Health, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, 650 Charles E. Young Dr, CHS 41-275, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
⁴ National Program for Monkeypox and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers, Ministry of Health, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
⁵ Mosaic, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
⁶ Pasteur Institute of Bangui, Bangui, Central African Republic.
⁷ Ministry of Health and Populations, Bangui, Central African Republic.
⁸ Military Health Research Center (CRESAR), Yaoundé, Cameroon.
⁹ Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja, Nigeria.
¹⁰ Cameroon National Program for the Prevention and Control of Emerging and Re-Emerging Zoonoses, Ministry of Health, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
¹¹ Epidemiology and Disease Control Department, Ministry of Public Health, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.
¹² Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
¹³ Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
¹⁴ Division Provinciale de La Santé de La Tshopo, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
¹⁵ Epidemiological Surveillance Department, Kinshasa, Ministry of Health, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
¹⁶ National Institute of Public Health, Kinshasa, Ministry of Health, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
¹⁷ Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
¹⁸ Kinshasa School of Public Health, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
¹⁹ Zoonotic and Emerging Disease Research Unit, National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Manhattan, KS, USA.
²⁰ Department of Medical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
²¹ Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
²² Microbiology Service, Department of Medical Biology, Cliniques Universitaires de Kinshasa, University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
²³ Department of Epidemiology, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Gordon-Levin Endowed Chair in Infectious Diseases and Public Health, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, 650 Charles E. Young Dr, CHS 41-275, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA. arimoin@ucla.edu.
²⁴ Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), School of Medicine, University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. mbalaplacide@gmail.com.
²⁵ Microbiology Service, Department of Medical Biology, Cliniques Universitaires de Kinshasa, University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. mbalaplacide@gmail.com.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 40045429
PMCID: PMC11881381
DOI: 10.1186/s41256-025-00408-y

Abstract

To address the underreporting of mpox cases in endemic regions, a regional surveillance network, known as the Mpox Threat Reduction Network (MPX-TRN), was established between five neighboring countries in Central and West Africa in 2022. One direct outcome of the MPX-TRN has been the strengthening of regional mpox surveillance. This consortium has facilited open communication channels, detection of cross-border mpox cases, and improvements of the detection and diagnosis of mpox in Central Africa and worldwide. Importantly, the MPX-TRN provides a scalable model for addressing underreporting of diseases, such as mpox.

Keywords: Monkeypox; Mpox; Regional surveillance network; Shared experience; The Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: As no human subjects were included in this activity, ethical approval for this study was not required by our institute. Therefore, there is no ethics committee approval number to provide. All participants in the MPX-TRN activities consented to participation and their likeness in the images presented. Consent for publication: Consent was provided by those participants whose identifying images are presented. Proof of consent from MPX-TRN members can be provided at any time. Reflexivity Statement: This manuscript, and the corresponding establishment of the MPX-TRN, was a highly collaborative initiative including international leaders in mpox surveillance (including but not limited to leaders of national laboratories in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria, and the Republic of Congo) as well as those directly involved with mpox case investigations and sampling, such as the DRC’s National Program for Mpox and Viral Hemorrhagic Fever team members. The breadth of the author affiliations is reflective of the inclusive and collaborative nature of this project. Since it’s inception, the MPX-TRN has contributed not only to increased local capacity through cross-border training, but also at a higher level, improved mpox-related health system communications. Competing interests: None of the other authors declare competing interests.

Figures

**Fig. 1**
Map of mpox regional surveillance network countries

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

1. Durski KN, McCollum AM, Nakazawa Y, Petersen BW, Reynolds MG, Briand S, et al. Emergence of Monkeypox-West and Central Africa, 1970–2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018;67(10):306–10. - PMC - PubMed
1. (WHO) WHO. 2022–2023 Mpox (Monkeypox) Outbreak: Global Trends 2024 [Available from: https://worldhealthorg.shinyapps.io/mpx_global/.
1. Olliaro P, Bourner J, Boum Ii Y, Nakouné E, Pesonel E, Rojek A, et al. Mpox: the alarm went off Have we gone back to sleep? PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2024;18(1):e0011871. - PMC - PubMed
1. Rimoin AW, Kisalu N, Kebela-Ilunga B, Mukaba T, Wright LL, Formenty P, et al. Endemic human monkeypox, Democratic Republic of Congo, 2001–2004. Emerg Infect Dis. 2007;13(6):934–7. - PMC - PubMed
1. McCollum AM, Shelus V, Hill A, Traore T, Onoja B, Nakazawa Y, et al. Epidemiology of Human Mpox - Worldwide, 2018–2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2023;72(3):68–72. - PMC - PubMed

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Establishment of a regional Mpox surveillance network in Central Africa: shared experiences in an endemic region

Affiliations

Establishment of a regional Mpox surveillance network in Central Africa: shared experiences in an endemic region

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

References

MeSH terms

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources