The resurgence of monkeypox virus: a critical global health challenge and the need for vigilant intervention
The resurgence of the monkeypox virus (MPXV), a zoonotic Orthopoxvirus historically regarded as endemic to the tropical rainforests of Central and West Africa, represents a significant and evolving global health challenge. Waning Orthopoxvirus immunity following the cessation of smallpox vaccination...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1572100/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849717533486088192 |
|---|---|
| author | Ashwini Malla Fayez M. Saleh Fayez M. Saleh |
| author_facet | Ashwini Malla Fayez M. Saleh Fayez M. Saleh |
| author_sort | Ashwini Malla |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The resurgence of the monkeypox virus (MPXV), a zoonotic Orthopoxvirus historically regarded as endemic to the tropical rainforests of Central and West Africa, represents a significant and evolving global health challenge. Waning Orthopoxvirus immunity following the cessation of smallpox vaccination and inequitable vaccine access have increased susceptibility, especially in resource-limited settings. Combined with urbanization, environmental degradation, global travel, and human-wildlife interactions, these factors have driven MPXV beyond its traditional regions. Notably, recent outbreaks in non-endemic countries have exhibited a distinct epidemiological shift, with a higher incidence among men who have sex with men, often in the absence of travel history to endemic areas, underscoring evolving transmission dynamics. This review provides a comprehensive examination of MPXV’s epidemiology, clinical features, and transmission mechanisms, highlighting the complexities of its containment. Key challenges—including surveillance gaps, vaccine inequities, and limited access to diagnostics and therapeutics—are compounded by unresolved controversies over MPXV’s natural reservoirs and respiratory transmissibility, as well as critical research gaps in zoonotic spillover mechanisms and long-term immunity. Addressing these issues demands global collaboration to leverage next-generation vaccines and antivirals, paired with an integrated public health response: enhanced surveillance, targeted education, and equitable resource allocation. Sustaining these efforts is vital to curbing MPXV’s resurgence and preventing its entrenchment as a global health threat. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f8ed924a3fa044a19743b185e9cadb5d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-f8ed924a3fa044a19743b185e9cadb5d2025-08-20T03:12:38ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-05-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15721001572100The resurgence of monkeypox virus: a critical global health challenge and the need for vigilant interventionAshwini Malla0Fayez M. Saleh1Fayez M. Saleh2Department of Biotechnology, PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, IndiaDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi ArabiaMolecular Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research Unit, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi ArabiaThe resurgence of the monkeypox virus (MPXV), a zoonotic Orthopoxvirus historically regarded as endemic to the tropical rainforests of Central and West Africa, represents a significant and evolving global health challenge. Waning Orthopoxvirus immunity following the cessation of smallpox vaccination and inequitable vaccine access have increased susceptibility, especially in resource-limited settings. Combined with urbanization, environmental degradation, global travel, and human-wildlife interactions, these factors have driven MPXV beyond its traditional regions. Notably, recent outbreaks in non-endemic countries have exhibited a distinct epidemiological shift, with a higher incidence among men who have sex with men, often in the absence of travel history to endemic areas, underscoring evolving transmission dynamics. This review provides a comprehensive examination of MPXV’s epidemiology, clinical features, and transmission mechanisms, highlighting the complexities of its containment. Key challenges—including surveillance gaps, vaccine inequities, and limited access to diagnostics and therapeutics—are compounded by unresolved controversies over MPXV’s natural reservoirs and respiratory transmissibility, as well as critical research gaps in zoonotic spillover mechanisms and long-term immunity. Addressing these issues demands global collaboration to leverage next-generation vaccines and antivirals, paired with an integrated public health response: enhanced surveillance, targeted education, and equitable resource allocation. Sustaining these efforts is vital to curbing MPXV’s resurgence and preventing its entrenchment as a global health threat.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1572100/fullglobal healthmonkeypox virusOrthopoxvirus immunityoutbreak containmentpublic health strategyzoonotic diseases |
| spellingShingle | Ashwini Malla Fayez M. Saleh Fayez M. Saleh The resurgence of monkeypox virus: a critical global health challenge and the need for vigilant intervention Frontiers in Public Health global health monkeypox virus Orthopoxvirus immunity outbreak containment public health strategy zoonotic diseases |
| title | The resurgence of monkeypox virus: a critical global health challenge and the need for vigilant intervention |
| title_full | The resurgence of monkeypox virus: a critical global health challenge and the need for vigilant intervention |
| title_fullStr | The resurgence of monkeypox virus: a critical global health challenge and the need for vigilant intervention |
| title_full_unstemmed | The resurgence of monkeypox virus: a critical global health challenge and the need for vigilant intervention |
| title_short | The resurgence of monkeypox virus: a critical global health challenge and the need for vigilant intervention |
| title_sort | resurgence of monkeypox virus a critical global health challenge and the need for vigilant intervention |
| topic | global health monkeypox virus Orthopoxvirus immunity outbreak containment public health strategy zoonotic diseases |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1572100/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ashwinimalla theresurgenceofmonkeypoxvirusacriticalglobalhealthchallengeandtheneedforvigilantintervention AT fayezmsaleh theresurgenceofmonkeypoxvirusacriticalglobalhealthchallengeandtheneedforvigilantintervention AT fayezmsaleh theresurgenceofmonkeypoxvirusacriticalglobalhealthchallengeandtheneedforvigilantintervention AT ashwinimalla resurgenceofmonkeypoxvirusacriticalglobalhealthchallengeandtheneedforvigilantintervention AT fayezmsaleh resurgenceofmonkeypoxvirusacriticalglobalhealthchallengeandtheneedforvigilantintervention AT fayezmsaleh resurgenceofmonkeypoxvirusacriticalglobalhealthchallengeandtheneedforvigilantintervention |