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Understanding the biology of monkeypox virus to prevent future outbreaks

Nature Microbiology (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Historically, monkeypox (mpox) was a zoonotic disease endemic in Africa. However, in 2022, a global outbreak occurred following a substantial increase in cases in Africa, coupled with spread by international travellers to other continents. Between January 2022 and October 2023, about 91,000 confirmed cases from 115 countries were reported, leading the World Health Organization to declare a public health emergency. The basic biology of monkeypox virus (MPXV) can be inferred from other poxviruses, such as vaccinia virus, and confirmed by genome sequencing. Here the biology of MPXV is reviewed, together with a discussion of adaptive changes during MPXV evolution and implications for transmission. Studying MPXV biology is important to inform specific host interactions, to aid in ongoing outbreaks and to predict those in the future.

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Fig. 1: Timeline of MPXV detection and mpox cases globally.
Fig. 2: Global map of mpox incidence.
Fig. 3: Replication cycle of Orthopoxvirus.
Fig. 4: Mpox in Africa between 1970 and 2019.

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Acknowledgements

Support was provided by the Division of Intramural Research, NIAID, NIH.

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  1. Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Bernard Moss

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Supplementary Data 1

Host interaction proteins of CPXV and MPXV clades.

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Moss, B. Understanding the biology of monkeypox virus to prevent future outbreaks. Nat Microbiol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-024-01690-1

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