Brief: Mpox

Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) is a disease caused by infection with mpox virus (MPXV) – a type of Orthopoxvirus. The virus is endemic in several countries in Central and West Africa. There are two clades (types) of the virus: Clade I (formerly Congo Basin clade) and Clade II (formerly the West African clade). The 2022 outbreak is Clade II, which is considered less deadly.

The disease was originally called “monkeypox” because it was first discovered in 1958 in two colonies of research monkeys, with the first human case recorded in 1970. The actual source of the disease remains unknown, though various animals are susceptible to MPXV, such as certain squirrels, rats, and non-human primates.

In this brief, you’ll learn: 

• How Mpox is transmitted
• The role of wastewater in Mpox monitoring
• How Biobot is partnering with the CDC to monitor Mpox in the United States