Monkeypox: What's Going On?

Historical Context

Monkeypox, a virus known for over half a century, has historically been endemic in parts of Africa, spreading primarily from animals to humans. Wendy Zukerman explains that while past outbreaks were limited, the current global spread is unprecedented, with thousands of cases reported in over 70 countries 1. Professor Chloe Orkin, an infectious disease expert, has been instrumental in mapping the outbreak, collaborating with doctors worldwide to understand its impact 2. She notes the complexity and scale of this outbreak, which has involved 43 centers across 16 countries 2.

It was the most complex and difficult thing I've ever done, and also the most wonderful, because I'd wake up in the morning to emails from every country.

--- Professor Chloe Orkin

Professor Yan Xiang, who has studied pox viruses for over 20 years, recalls the first U.S. outbreak in 2003, highlighting the virus's unusual human-to-human transmission in the current situation 3.

   

Current Spread

The current monkeypox outbreak is driven by a combination of factors, including potential mutations and social behaviors. Professor Yan Xiang mentions that recent studies show a higher mutation rate in the virus, though the implications of these mutations remain unclear 4. He suggests that waning immunity to smallpox, a close relative of monkeypox, and large social gatherings have contributed to the virus's spread 4.

A new generation of people, they don't have the vaccine. They never received the vaccine for smallpox, so they don't have the immunity against those virus.

--- Professor Yan Xiang

Professor Chloe Orkin emphasizes that the virus primarily spreads through close contact, particularly sexual contact, with 95% of cases in her study linked to such interactions 5.