Key facts

Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus

It has been circulating since the 1970s in parts of Africa but in 2022–2023 there was a global outbreak

While mpox is not classified as a sexually transmitted infection (STI) it is transmitted through close contact and recent outbreaks have occurred among men who have sex with men

Common symptoms include a rash, skin lesions, fever, headache, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes

Vaccines are available for mpox but treatment mainly focuses on supportive care for symptoms.

Overview

Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. Mpox can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle ache, back pain and low energy. Most people recover fully, but some can become very ill.

There are two distinct clades of the virus: clade I, with subclades Ia and Ib, and clade II, with subclades IIa and IIb.…