In a correspondence published in Nature Medicine, researchers at the University of Surrey have cautioned that Mpox has the potential to evolve into a significant global health concern, citing definitive indications of ongoing human-to-human transmission. The researchers posit that the virus is demonstrating an increased capacity for adaptation to human hosts, and certain genetic variants may render it progressively more transmissible or virulent, particularly among vulnerable populations such as children. Professor Carlos Maluquer de Motes, a professor of molecular virology, stated that recent outbreaks suggest that specific transmission modalities, including intimate contact between individuals, are generating extended transmission chains and protracted outbreaks. This evolutionary trend is concurrent with the rapid dissemination of clade IIb Mpox viruses, in addition to other variants of clade I, which are considered more virulent and hazardous.
Mpox, a zoonotic viral disease caused by an orthopoxvirus of the same family as human smallpox, has historically been geographically restricted to regions of central and western Africa. However, since 2022, it has experienced a global spread, with outbreaks occurring in Europe as well. Currently, a specific curative treatment is unavailable; however, antiviral vaccines previously utilized against smallpox have demonstrated efficacy against mpox. A focused immunization initiative has been implemented for individuals considered to be at elevated risk.
