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There is growing evidence to support new modes of transmission for human monkeypox infection. As these methods are being explored, this report delineates the day-to-day clinical sequelae following the initial exposure in an HIV-positive man who had sexual intercourse with another man days preceding his infection. We describe atypical cutaneous manifestations involving widespread erythematous pustules with preceding anogenital ulcerations and concomitant bilateral inguinal lymphadenopathy. Clinicopathologic correlation is used to assist in the workup and establishing the diagnosis. Our case supports others reported in the literature that suggest sexual contact as a means of transmission. More research is needed that investigates the presence of infection in both men and women, including those who could act as carriers, to elucidate other pathways in this evolving yet evasive viral disease.

Background: Monkeypox (MPOX) caused a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) outbreak between 2022 and 2023, with a recent rise in cases that prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the disease a PHEIC once again. There is little information on its long‐term scarring sequelae. Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the risk and characteristics of scarring in patients with MPOX in a tertiary hospital. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study including patients diagnosed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. Clinical data were collected and followed up at 12–15 months to assess scarring and its impact on quality of life. Results: Of the 40 patients, 19 (47.5%) developed scars, which were more common in those with initial cutaneous manifestations. Scars significantly affected the quality of life, especially in the genital and mucosal areas. The limited sample and loss to follow‐up may affect the validity of the results. Conclusion: Scarring is a frequent and disfiguring sequela of MPOX, particularly in patients with early skin symptoms. Prevention and close follow‐up are crucial in mitigating these complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent mpox outbreak (in 2022e2023) has different clinical and epidemiological features compared with previous outbreaks of the disease. During this outbreak, sexual contact was believed to be the primary transmission route of the disease. In addition, the community of men having sex with men (MSM) was disproportionately affected by the outbreak. This population is also disproportionately affected by HIV infection. Given that both diseases can be transmitted sexually, the endemicity of HIV, and the high sexual behavior associated with the MSM community, it is essential to understand the effect of the two diseases spreading simultaneously in an MSM population. Particularly, we aim to understand the potential effects of HIV on an mpox outbreak in the MSM population. We develop a mechanistic mathematical model of HIV and mpox co-infection. Our model incorporates the dynamics of both diseases and considers HIV treatment with antiretroviral therapy (ART). In addition, we consider a potential scenario where HIV infection increases susceptibility to mpox, and investigate the potential impact of this mechanism on mpox dynamics. Our analysis shows that HIV can facilitate the spread of mpox in an MSM population, and that HIV treatment with ART may not be sufficient to control the spread of mpox in the population. However, we showed that a moderate use of condoms or reduction in sexual contact in the population combined with ART is beneficial in controlling mpox transmission. Based on our analysis, it is evident that effective control of HIV, specifically through substantial ART use, moderate condom compliance, and reduction in sexual contact, is imperative for curtailing the transmission of mpox in an MSM population and mitigating the compounding impact of these intertwined epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematical models based on computational fractional orders, employed for accurate modelling of complex dynamic systems, can ensure the implementation of various analytical, numerical and computing methods encompassing their applications to emerging and ever-varying real-world problems. Tracking, managing and controlling communicable diseases, one being monkeypox with different features, virological and taxonomic attributes, are oriented towards high-risk groups concerning global public health. This study, accordingly, is devoted to the presentation of the piecewise global derivative model of the monkeypox virus by applying the Caputo and Atangana Baleanu fractional-order derivatives in the partitioned two sub-intervals. The model includes eight compartments with two categories of human and rodent populations. The cases which take part in some sense for the said infection are investigated along with connection in this format. The existence and uniqueness of the solution in the framework of the piecewise global derivative are analyzed for both sub-intervals using fixed point theory. The detailed investigation of the dynamics of fractional-order systems and among many other dynamic features, stability is addressed. The stability of the solution is, thus, examined using the idea of Ulam Hyers concept. For the best fitting values of the parameters, the results are simulated using the monkeypox data. Using the method of Newton polynomial, different piecewise dynamics of each compartment are simulated on different fractional orders and time durations. This kind of a proposed approach is thought to lay a foundation where the transmission takes place to control epidemic events and other infectious medical conditions through vaccines or taking preventive measures to maintain and advance global public health while fully optimizing the clinical care of the diseases to manage complications, alleviate symptoms as well as prevent the long-term sequelae. This analysis also deals with sudden variation in monkeypox dynamics and also for crossover dynamics along with removal of discontinuity through modification of piecewise global analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global healthcare scenario encounters a substantial challenge caused by the widespread outbreak of Monkeypox affecting over 65 countries. Limited availability of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and biochemical assays necessitates alternative strategies. This study explores the viability of computer-aided identification of Monkeypox through the analysis of skin lesion images, offering a potential solution, particularly in resourceconstrained settings. Employing data augmentation techniques, we augment the dataset to enhance its robustness. Subsequently, we utilize various pretrained deep learning models, including EfficientNetB3, VGG16, ResNet50, AlexNet, and EfficientNet for classification tasks related to Monkeypox and other diseases. The achieved accuracies for these models are 98.48%, 69.19%, 91.41%, 78.38%, and 94.44%, respectively. We introduce a novel modified convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture named MPCNN to further improve performance. Our proposed MPCNN model demonstrates exceptional accuracy, precisely identifying Monkeypox patients with a remarkable precision of 99.49%. This technological advancement in disease identification holds significant promise for enhancing healthcare strategies and response mechanisms in the context of global health concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance: A global outbreak of clade IIb Monkeypox virus (MPXV) infections spread rapidly across at least 118 countries resulting in a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) from July 2022 to May 2023. This outbreak affected more than 99 000 persons worldwide and caused more than 33 000 infections and 60 deaths in the US. In 2024, there have been approximately 200 new infections per month in the US. On August 14, 2024, the World Health Organization declared mpox a PHEIC for a second time due to a rapid increase in infections with clade I MPXV in Central Africa. Observations: Mpox is primarily acquired through direct skin to skin contact with MPXV. With clade IIb MPXV, infections are most commonly associated with sexual activity among individuals who are gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men. After a median incubation period of 7 to 10 days, prodromal symptoms include fever (62%-72%), lymphadenopathy (56%-86%), myalgias (31%-55%), malaise (23%-57%), and headache (25%-55%). Skin lesions progress through 4 well-defined stages (macules, papules, vesicles, and pustules) over 2 to 4 weeks. Clade IIb MPXV is typically a self-limited illness with a low mortality rate (<0.2% in the US); however, severe illness and death may occur in immunocompromised individuals, especially those with advanced HIV (CD4 count <200 cells/μL). Mpox should be suspected in patients with potential exposure to MPXV who have skin lesions, and the diagnosis is confirmed with polymerase chain reaction testing of lesions. Management is supportive and focuses on skin care and symptom relief with analgesics. While no antiviral treatments are currently approved for mpox by the US Food and Drug Administration, several therapeutics, such as tecovirimat, brincidofovir, and vaccinia immune globulin intravenous, are available through expanded access programs or clinical trials. Vaccination with the 2-dose Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic vaccine is recommended for high-incidence populations and has an efficacy of 66% to 86%. Conclusions and Relevance: Mpox is a viral infection transmitted primarily through close skin to skin contact that typically causes a self-resolving illness but can result in severe illness and death in immunocompromised individuals. First-line therapy is supportive care, although patients with severe mpox infection may be treated with advanced therapeutics. Mpox vaccination is effective and, if available, should be offered to individuals at risk of exposure to mpox. This review examines the epidemiology, transmission, clinical presentation, assessment and diagnosis, prognosis, management and treatment, and prevention of mpox. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses mpox-specific immune responses for 12 months after MVA-BN vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying distinct noncanonical structures in pathogenic genomes is crucial for developing new diagnostic tools. This study uncovers stable G-quadruplex (GQ) structures in conserved DNA sequences unique to the monkeypox virus (MPV). Furthermore, we developed a method for the detection of target GQ using a fluorogenic probe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The extent to which infections may have been undetected in an epicenter of the 2022 mpox outbreak is unknown. Methods A serosurvey (July and August 2022) assessed the seroprevalence and correlates of mpox infection among a diverse sample of asymptomatic patients with no prior mpox diagnoses and no known histories of smallpox or mpox vaccination. We present seropositivity stratified by participant characteristics collected via survey. Results Two-thirds of 419 participants were cismen (281 of 419), of whom 59.1% (166 of 281) reported sex with men (MSM). The sample also included 109 ciswomen and 28 transgender/gender nonconforming/nonbinary individuals. Overall seroprevalence was 6.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.1%–8.8%); 3.7% among ciswomen (95% CI, 1.0%–9.1%), 7.0% among cismen with only ciswomen partners (95% CI, 2.0%–11.9%), and 7.8% among MSM (95% CI, 3.7%–11.9%). There was little variation in seroprevalence by race/ethnicity, age group, HIV status, or number of recent sex partners. No participants who reported close contact with mpox cases were seropositive. Among participants without recent mpox-like symptoms, 6.3% were seropositive (95% CI, 3.6%–9.0%). Conclusions Approximately 1 in 15 vaccine-naive people in our study had antibodies to mpox during the height of the NYC outbreak, indicating the presence of asymptomatic infections that could contribute to ongoing transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent mpox outbreak, people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH) were at high risk both for contracting infection and for a more severe disease course. We studied cellular and humoral immune responses elicited by mpox infection (n = 5; n = 3 PWH) or smallpox vaccination (n = 17; all PWH) in a cohort of men who have sex with men. All PWH were successfully treated, with stable CD4 counts and undetectable HIV viral loads. Eleven of 17 vaccinated individuals had received childhood smallpox vaccination. In this group of individuals, both 2-dose modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccination and natural infection evoked mpox-specific immune responses mediated by B cells as well as CD4 and CD8 T cells. This study improves our understanding of smallpox vaccination-mediated cross-reactivity to other orthopox viruses, and long-lasting durability of childhood smallpox vaccination-mediated immune responses, including in PWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent outbreak of monkeypox virus (MPXV) has caused global concern. How the virus evades the interferon (IFN) response is still poorly understood. We analyzed type I/II IFN (IFN-I/II) expression in clinical samples from MPXV-infected patients and measured IFN-I kinetics in MPXV-infected cells. We also evaluated the anti-MPXV activity of IFN-I/II in A549, HeLa and Vero-E6 cell lines. IFN-I/II mRNA expression was detected in skin lesions, anal swabs, nasopharyngeal samples and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), with the highest levels in skin lesions (p < 0.05). High MPXV DNA levels in clinical samples were associated with increased IFN-I levels. In vitro, MPXV infection induced a peak of IFN-I between 48 and 72 h post-infection (p < 0.01). Pre-treatment of the A549, HeLa and Vero-E6 cells with high concentrations (≥ 100,000 International Unit, IU/ml) of IFN-α and IFN-ω did not inhibit or had little effect on MPXV replication, while IFN-β moderately reduced MPXV replication by 2.7–1.5 log10 at 100,000 IU/ml. In clinical samples there was a trend for elevated levels of IFN-γ in association with lower MPXV load and in vitro IFN-γ (3,600 IU/ml) strongly reduced viral titers by 3.4–1.6 log10. There were no significant differences in expression of select IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) in MPXV infection in vitro. This study shows that MPXV delays IFN-I induction and inhibits expression of selected ISGs in vitro and is associated with an IFN-I resistance phenotype in vivo. However, MPXV is less resistant to IFN-γ in vivo and is sensitive to IFN-γ treatment in vitro, suggesting a potential therapeutic role for IFN-γ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In May 2022, a global surge in mpox cases, typically endemic to Western and Central Africa, particularly affected gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM). This study examines gbMSM communities' experiences and perceptions around Ireland's public health response to the outbreak. Methods: A cross-sectional mixed-methods online survey was conducted. Qualitative data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis informed by critical realism. Findings: A total of 163 gay and bisexual men took part in the survey. Participants accessed information from diverse sources, reporting varying levels of trustworthiness. Overall, participants were well-informed. Four themes were developed from the qualitative data: (1) Perceptions of the mpox response: divergence in urgency, priority, and care; (2) The mpox outbreak as a sign of otherness for gbMSM; (3) The potential for othering through mpox prevention practices; and (4) mpox, memory and fear. Discussion: While community-led initiatives were effective, significant challenges included stigmatisation, discrimination, and mistrust towards public health institutions, influenced by institutionalised homophobia. The study underscores the need for inclusive, culturally sensitive, and transparent public health strategies. Conclusion: The mpox outbreak highlights the importance of robust community collaboration in public health interventions. Future strategies must ensure equitable access to information, vaccination, and care, and address broader structural inequalities to foster trust and engagement within affected communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2022, the global outbreak of monkeypox virus (MPXV) with increased human-to-human transmission triggered urgent public health interventions. Plant-derived monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are being explored as potential therapeutic strategies due to their diverse mechanisms of antiviral activity. MPXV produces two key infectious particles: the mature virion (MV) and the extracellular enveloped virion (EV), both essential for infection and spread. Effective therapies must target both to halt replication and transmission. Our prior research demonstrated the development of a potent neutralizing mAb against MPXV MV. This study focuses on developing a plant-derived mAb targeting MPXV EV, which is critical for viral dissemination within the host and generally resistant to antibody neutralization. Our findings reveal that the mAb (H2) can be robustly produced in Nicotiana benthamiana plants via transient expression. The plant-made H2 mAb effectively targets MPXV EV by binding specifically to the A35 MPXV antigen. Importantly, H2 mAb shows notable neutralizing activity against the infectious MPXV EV particle. This investigation is the first to report the development of a plant-derived anti-EV mAb for MPXV prevention and treatment, as well as the first demonstration of anti-MPXV EV activity by an mAb across any production platform. It highlights the potential of plant-produced mAbs as therapeutics for emerging infectious diseases, including the MPXV outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monkeypox virus clade I is endemic in several central African countries and characterised by an increase in disease severity and mortality. Since October, 2023, a large-scale mpox outbreak has emerged in DR Congo, and in March, 2024, the first individuals with mpox were reported outside the endemic areas in Republic of the Congo. We aimed to provide insight into the epidemic by sequencing samples obtained from individuals with mpox in Republic of the Congo. In this cross-sectional, descriptive study, samples were collected from individuals with suspected mpox between Jan 15 and April 8, 2024, in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, Likouala, Cuvette-Centrale, and Plateaux (Republic of the Congo). Blood samples, skin or oropharyngeal swabs, or skin crusts were obtained for molecular diagnosis via real-time PCR. Monkeypox virus sequences were obtained and analysed using newly established nanopore sequencing methodology and bioinformatic pipeline. The sequences obtained were aligned and used to construct a maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree using IG-TREE. 61 samples were collected from individuals with suspected mpox, 31 of which were positive for monkeypox virus and were included in our analysis (four positive samples were excluded due to unavailability of epidemiological data or insufficient biological material). Individuals who tested positive for monkeypox virus were from Cuvette-Centrale (19 [61%] of 31), Likouala (eight [26%]), and Pointe-Noire (four [13%]). 20 (65%) were male and 11 (35%) were female. Phylogenetic analysis of sequences showed two major clusters within clade Ia. One cluster was made up of four sequences from this study clustering with two monkeypox virus sequences from the current DR Congo outbreak, three older sequences from Central African Republic sequenced between 2017 and 2018, and seven sequences from DR Congo sequenced in 2006–07 and 2022. The second cluster was made up of 16 sequences from this study clustering with sequences from the current DR Congo outbreak. In addition, sequences from Republic of the Congo show multiple phylogenetic positioning suggesting the occurrence of multiple co-circulating strains in the human population. Our findings suggest that multiple monkeypox virus strains are co-circulating in the human population, highlighting the need for implementation of expanded mpox surveillance, especially in countries bordering DR Congo and Republic of the Congo, in combination with control measures focused on containing the current outbreaks in these countries to prevent escalation into a larger-scale epidemic. Intramural Research Program of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and monkeypox co-infection, identifying candidate hub genes and potential drugs using bioinformatics and machine learning. Datasets for HIV (GSE 37250) and monkeypox (GSE 24125) were obtained from the GEO database. Common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in co-infection were identified by intersecting DEGs from monkeypox datasets with genes from key HIV modules screened using Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA). After gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis and construction of protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, candidate hub genes were further screened based on machine learning algorithms. Transcriptional factors (TFs) and miRNA-candidate hub gene networks were constructed to understand regulatory mechanisms and protein-drug interactions to identify potential therapeutic drugs. Seven candidate hub genes—MX2, ADAR, POLR2H, RPL5, IFI16, IFIT2, and RPS5—were identified. TFs and miRNAs associated with these hub genes, playing a key role in regulating viral infection and inflammation due to the activation of antiviral innate immunity, were also identified through network analysis. Potential therapeutic drugs were screened based on these hub genes: AZT, a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor, suppressed viral replication in HIV and monkeypox co-infection, while mefloquine inhibited inflammation due to the activation of antiviral innate immunity. In conclusion, the study identified candidate hub genes, their transcriptional regulation, signaling pathways, and small-molecule drugs in HIV and monkeypox co-infection, contributing to understanding the pathogenesis of HIV and monkeypox co-infection and informing precise therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Health Organization declared a state of emergency in 2022 because of monkeypox. This disease has raised international concern as it has spread beyond Africa, where it is endemic. The global community has shown attention and solidarity in combating this disease as its daily increase becomes evident. Various skin symptoms appear in people infected with this disease, which can spread easily, especially in a polluted environment. It is difficult to diagnose monkeypox in its early stages because of its similarity with the symptoms of other diseases such as chicken pox and measles. Recently, computer-aided classification methods such as deep learning and machine learning within artificial intelligence have been employed to detect various diseases, including COVID-19, tumor cells, and Monkeypox, in a short period and with high accuracy. In this study, we propose the CanDark model, an end-to-end deep-learning model that incorporates cancelable biometrics for diagnosing Monkeypox. CanDark stands for cancelable DarkNet-53, which means that DarkNet-53 CNN is utilized for extracting deep features from Monkeypox skin images. Then a cancelable method is applied to these features to protect patient information. Various cancelable techniques have been evaluated, such as bio-hashing, multilayer perceptron (MLP) hashing, index-of-maximum Gaussian random projection-based hashing (IoM-GRP), and index-of-maximum uniformly random permutation-based hashing (IoM-URP). The proposed approach's performance is evaluated using various assessment issues such as accuracy, specificity, precision, recall, and fscore. Using the IoM-URP, the CanDark model is superior to other state-of-the-art Monkeypox diagnostic techniques. The proposed framework achieved an accuracy of 98.81%, a specificity of 98.73%, a precision of 98.9%, a recall of 97.02%, and fscore of 97.95%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world still vividly recalls the previous monkeypox (mpox) outbreak that impacted over 120 countries worldwide with more than 99,000 cases in 2022, we are now facing a second wave of infections from the monkeypox virus (MPXV), characterized by an exponential increase in cases. The current 2024 outbreak has already recorded more than 20,000 cases in Africa, marking a dramatic escalation compared to previous outbreaks. The predominance of the newly identified clade Ib variant, first detected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and now identified across multiple African nations and beyond, underscores its enhanced transmissibility and potential for international spread, evidenced by cases in Sweden and Thailand. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared on August 14, 2024, the current mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), calling for heightened global public health measures. The ongoing pattern of unusual, frequent, and extensive outbreaks of mpox with potential global implications poses significant questions. This review addresses, in the format of 50 questions and answers, the 2024 mpox outbreak, detailing its characteristics, epidemiological data, and impact compared to previous outbreaks. It comprehensively explores critical questions related to MPXV virological characteristics, immunological response, clinical manifestations, epidemiology, diagnostics, and available treatments. The review also documents the significant and evolving challenges posed by the current mpox outbreak, highlighting its scale, spread, and public health response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant monkeypox (mpox) outbreak occurred in 2022, particularly involving sexual and gender minority (SGM) groups. Stigma and misperceptions have led to fear of being labeled a member of the SGM group when obtaining immunization for mpox. We hypothesized that the most recommended injection site, intradermal injection in the forearm, stresses stigmatization. We conducted an online survey in a medical center in Taiwan between May 2023 and June 2023 among adults who were going to receive the second preexposure vaccination. The questionnaire comprised questions about physical and psychological impacts of the first mpox vaccination and the preference for the second vaccination location and factors influencing the preference. A total of 2,827 individuals (98.4% male) completed the questionnaires. Intradermal injection in the forearm was related to greater physical and psychological impacts of local adverse events, especially discoloration. "Beauty," "scar," and "others' view" were the most significant factors influencing preference for vaccination regimens. Compared to intradermal injection in the forearm, subjects who cared about "others' views" were likely to prefer vaccination in the deltoid. The odds ratio for preferring intradermally injection in the deltoid over in the forearm was 1.88 (95% CI 1.38–2.56). The odds ratio for preferring subcutaneous injection in the deltoid over intradermally injection in the forearm was 1.69 (95% CI 1.23–2.32). The odds ratio for preferring intradermally injection in the deltoid regardless of the route over intradermally injection in the forearm was 2.11 (95% CI 1.53–2.92). This study demonstrated the adverse events of different mpox vaccination regimens and their association with stigma. Recognizing the factors affecting the preference for mpox vaccine regimens is crucial for easing the mental stress of vaccinee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mpox continues to spread in China, and stakeholders' experiences may help inform prevention and control strategies. Qualitative study. A qualitative study across 14 Chinese cities recruited stakeholders from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCs), community-based organizations (CBOs), and hospitals involved in curbing mpox. Semi-structured interviews were conducted by telephone and analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. 15 CBOs workers, 14 CDCs staff, and 13 healthcare workers were recruited. Three theme categories were identified: "Efforts to curb mpox epidemic", including CDCs' epidemic management and health education, hospitals' diagnosis, treatment, and care, CBOs' counseling, publicity, and referrals. "Challenges to curb mpox epidemic", including negative impacts of hospital-based quarantine, lack of specific antiviral drugs, gay identity disclosure concerns, psychological problems, contact tracing difficulties, and inadequate communication and collaboration. "Recommendations for curbing mpox epidemic", including prioritizing supervised home-based quarantine, incorporating HIV-related indicators into hospital quarantine criteria, reducing the cost of hospital quarantine, accelerating the development of vaccines and drugs, enhancing patient privacy protection, psychological training for stakeholders, establishing a task force that comprises personnel who are experienced in contact tracing and strengthening communication and collaboration. Effective control of mpox spread requires strengthening collaboration with CBOs and community healthcare centers (CHCs) and working out a flexible and contextualized mechanism. It also needs to reinforce patient privacy protection and integrate stigma reduction into strategies. Additionally, it is important to include HIV-related indicators in the quarantine evaluation and provide psychological training for stakeholders to help them manage their mental health and improve counseling skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there have been frequent global outbreaks of viral epidemics such as Zika, COVID-19, and monkeypox, which have had a huge impact on human health and society and have also spurred innovation in virus engineering technology. The rise of synthetic virus genome technology has provided researchers with a new platform to accelerate vaccine and drug development. Although DNA synthesis technology has made significant progress, the current virus genome synthesis technology still requires the assembly of short oligonucleotides of around 60 bp into kb-level lengths when constructing long segments, a process in which the commonly used polymerase chain reaction assembly (PCA) technology has high error rates and is cumbersome to operate. This study optimized the error correction conditions after PCA assembly, increasing the accuracy of synthesizing 1 kb DNA fragments from 4.2 ± 2.1% before error correction to 31.3 ± 3.1% after two rounds of correction, an improvement of over 6 times. This study provides a more efficient operational process for synthesizing virus genomes from scratch, indicating greater potential for virus engineering in epidemic prevention and control and the field of biomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The risk for mpox virus (MPXV) transmission in most workplaces has not been thoroughly assessed in the context of the 2022 global mpox outbreak. Our objectives were to describe mpox case patients who worked while infectious and the subsequent workplace contact tracing efforts, risk assessments, and outcomes. Methods: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requested information from health departments in the United States in September 2022 to identify people with confirmed or probable mpox who worked outside the home while infectious, either before or after diagnosis, from June 1 through August 31, 2022. We collected and summarized data on demographic, clinical, and workplace characteristics of case patients and workplace contact investigations. We stratified data by industry and occupation categories. Results: In total, 102 case patients were reported by 6 jurisdictions. The most common industries were accommodation and food services (19.8%) and professional business, management, and technical services (17.0%). Contact investigations identified 178 total contacts; 54 cases (52.9%) had no contacts identified. Of 178 contacts, 54 (30.3%) were recommended to receive postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) and 18 (10.1%) received PEP. None of the contacts developed a rash or were tested for orthopox or mpox, and none were reported to have confirmed or probable mpox. Conclusion: Data from 6 jurisdictions suggest that the risk of MPXV transmission from workers to others in workplace settings in many industries is low. These findings might support future updates to exposure risk classifications and work activity recommendations for patients. These findings also demonstrate the importance of collecting and analyzing occupation and industry data in case reports to better understand risks in workplaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied a community cluster of 25 mpox cases in Vietnam caused by emerging monkeypox virus sublineage C.1 and imported into Vietnam through 2 independent events; 1 major cluster carried a novel APOBEC3-like mutation. Three patients died; all had advanced HIV coinfection. Viral evolution and its potential consequences should be closely monitored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used cross-sectional data from 226 patients with monkeypox virus to investigate the association between anatomic exposure site and lesion development. Penile, anorectal, and oral exposures predicted lesion presence at correlating anatomic sites. Exposure site also predicted the first lesion site of the penis and anus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The risks of uveitis development among monkeypox (MPOX) patients are unclear. To determine the uveitis risks after (MPOX) diagnosis. Population‐based, retrospective cohort study used the TriNetX database and recruited those with and without MPOX diagnosis from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2023. The non‐MPOX cohort consisted of randomly selected control patients matched by covariates, including age, gender, ethnicity, race, relevant comorbidities, previous medications, and the inflammatory marker C‐reactive protein. Statistical analysis on uveitis risk included hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated over 8 years (2016–2023). A separate analysis of the risk of uveitis among MPOX patients aged 20 years and older was also conducted. (MPOX) diagnosis, identified using electronic diagnostic codes. Cumulative incidence of new‐onset uveitis. A total of 5449 MPOX patients of all ages (25.45% female; mean age at index 35.17 ± 15.70 years) and 5449 propensity‐matched non‐MPOX comparators (23.97% female; mean age at index 35.30 ± 15.91 years) were recruited from the TriNetX database. For both the overall MPOX patient population and the adult MPOX patients, the risk of uveitis was significantly higher compared to the non‐MPOX cohort. This increased risk mainly happened in patients with anterior uveitis. Specifically, the hazard ratio for uveitis in all MPOX patients was 2.59 (95% CI: 1.40–4.79). Among MPOX patients aged 20 years or older, the hazard ratio for uveitis was 2.14 (95% CI: 1.17–3.94). There is a notable association between new‐onset uveitis and patients with MPOX. Our real‐world findings underscore the importance of being aware of the potential risk of anterior uveitis in this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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After the COVID-19 epidemic, public health awareness increased. A skin viral disease known as monkeypox sparked an emergency alert, leading to numerous reports of infections across numerous European countries. Common symptoms of this disease are fever, high temperatures, and water-filled blisters. This paper presents one of the recent algorithms based on a metaheuristic framework. To improve the performance of monkeypox classification, we introduce the GGO algorithm. Firstly, we employ four pre-trained models (AlexNet, GoogleNet, Resnet-50, and VGG-19) to extract the most common features of monkeypox skin image disease (MSID). Then, we reduce the number of extracted features to select the most distinguishing features for the disease. We make it by using GGO in binary form, which has an average fitness of 0.60068 and a best fitness of 0.50248. Lastly, we apply various optimization algorithms, including the (WWPA) waterwheel plant algorithm, the (DTO) Boosted Dipper Throated Optimization, the (PSO) particle swarm optimizer, the (WAO) whale optimization algorithm, the (GWO) gray wolf optimizer, the (FA) firefly algorithm, and the GGO algorithm, all based on the Convolution Neural Network (CNN), to achieve the best performance. Best Performance is indicated in accuracy and sensitivity; it reached 0.9919 and 0.9895 by GGO. A rigorous statistical analysis test was applied to confirm the validity of our findings. We applied Analysis of Variance ANOVA, and Wilcoxon signed tests, and the results indicated that the value of p was less than 0.005, which strongly supports our hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The sudden spread of the monkeypox virus has been accompanied by an increase in the scientific interest in the virus. More than 1,400 PubMed-indexed documents have been authored by about 5,800 unique authors, averaging around 120 publications per month. This sheer rise in the number led us to explore the content published in the literature. We discovered more than 30% of the documents are Quantitative Productivity (QP) i.e., papers that illustrate the emerging trends of parachute concerns, modified salami tactics, cyclic recycling, and excellence in redundancy. In addition, we found few common hyper-prolific authors previously identified in the COVID-19 literature. Further, we share our experience in publishing monkeypox literature and highlight the growing readership and citation interest in editorials, commentaries, and correspondences that were thought to be uncitable in the medical literature. As long as the scientific community and public demand, the supply of such papers will continue, with no responsibility on the authors, journals, or the reader. Since overhauling the current system is an arduous task, we propose the optimization of existing retrieval services that would selectively filter documents based on article type (requires standardization of definitions) to dilute the crowding out effects of quantitative productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: During the mpox outbreak in 2022, the highest number of cases in Germany were registered in Berlin, almost all of them in men who have sex with men (MSM). However, the frequency of clinically undiagnosed infections is unknown. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among MSM in Berlin, Germany. Participants were recruited from private practices and community-based checkpoints specialised in HIV and STI care for MSM. They were asked to complete an online questionnaire on socio-demographic data, mpox diagnosis, vaccination history and sexual behaviour, and to provide a blood sample for serological analysis. The samples were tested for antibodies against a range of antigens to distinguish between antibodies induced by mpox infection and MVA vaccination, with pre-immune sera from childhood smallpox vaccination as a confounding factor. Associations of behavioural variables with reported and suspected mpox diagnosis as the outcome were tested using univariable and multivariable logistic regression models. Results: Between the 11th April and 1st July 2023, 1,119 participants were recruited in eight private practices and two community-based checkpoints in Berlin. All participants provided a blood sample for serological testing. Information for the online questionnaire was provided by 728 participants; core data on age and mpox history for participants who did not provide questionnaire data were provided by the practices for an additional 218 participants. A previous diagnosis of mpox was reported for/by 70 participants (7.4%). Using a conservative and strict case definition, we serologically identified an additional 91 individuals with suspected undiagnosed mpox infection. Individuals with reported or suspected mpox infections reported more condomless anal sex partners in the past 3 months (OR = 5.93; 95% CI 2.10-18.35 for 5–10 partners; OR = 9.53; 95% CI 2.72–37.54 for > 10 partners) and were more likely to report sexual contact with partners diagnosed with mpox (OR = 2.87; 95% CI 1.39–5.84). Conclusion: A substantial proportion of mpox infections were clinically undiagnosed. The number of condomless anal sex partners was strongly associated with both confirmed and suspected undiagnosed mpox infection. Therefore, mpox control measures based on clinical diagnosis of mpox are likely to have limited effectiveness in preventing mpox transmission in outbreak situations because many infections remain unrecognised and undiagnosed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mpox virus (or Monkeypox virus, MPXV) uses its own encoded proteins to form a replication machine that replicates the viral genome in the host cell cytoplasm, making this machinery a key target for antiviral drug design. The D5 (also known as the OPG117 or E5) protein, a bi‐functional helicase–primase enzyme, is crucial in the MPXV replication machinery and genome uncoating process. Recently, cryo‐electron microscopy (cryo‐EM) structures of D5 in multiple states have been determined. These structures have elucidated the full trajectory of the MPXV D5 helicase–primase as it moves along single‐stranded DNA, providing unprecedented advancements in the molecular dynamics and unwinding mechanism. This structural snapshot describes the structural features of the D5 protein and dissects the broader implications of its pivotal role in MPXV replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monkeypox (mpox) is a zoonotic illness caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), with higher health concerns among people who are pregnant, children, and persons who are immunocompromised, including people with untreated and advanced HIV disease. Significant progress has been made in developing vaccines against mpox, yet critical challenges and limitations persist in ensuring their effectiveness, safety, and accessibility. The pertinence of this review is highlighted by the World Health Organization's declaration of a global health emergency on August 14, 2024, due to the recent mpox outbreak, underscoring the critical necessity for effective vaccine solutions in the face of a rapidly evolving virus. Here, we comprehensively analyze various vaccine platforms utilized in mpox prevention, including attenuated and nonreplicating virus vaccines, viral vector-based vaccines, recombinant protein vaccines, and DNA and mRNA vaccines. We evaluate the advantages and limitations of each platform, highlighting the urgent need for ongoing research and innovation to enhance vaccine efficacy and safety. Recent advancements, such as incorporating immunostimulatory sequences, improved delivery systems, and developing polyvalent vaccines, are explored for their potential to offer broader protection against diverse orthopoxvirus strains. This work underscores the need to optimize currently available vaccines and investigate novel vaccination strategies to address future public health emergencies effectively. By focusing on these advanced methodologies, we aim to contribute to the development of robust and adaptable vaccine solutions for mpox and other related viral threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA N6 -methyladenosine (m6A) demethylase AlkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5) plays a crucial role in regulating innate immunity. Lysine acylation, a widespread protein modification, influences protein function, but its impact on ALKBH5 during viral infections has not been well characterized. This study investigates the presence and regulatory mechanisms of a previously unidentified lysine acylation in ALKBH5 and its role in mediating m6A modifications to activate antiviral innate immune responses. We demonstrate that ALKBH5 undergoes lactylation, which is essential for an effective innate immune response against DNA herpesviruses, including herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), Kaposi’s sarcoma–associated herpesvirus (KSHV), and mpox virus (MPXV). This lactylation attenuates viral replication. Mechanistically, viral infections enhance ALKBH5 lactylation by increasing its interaction with acetyltransferase ESCO2 and decreasing its interaction with deacetyltransferase SIRT6. Lactylated ALKBH5 binds interferon-beta (IFN-β) messenger RNA (mRNA), leading to demethylation of its m6A modifications and promoting IFN-β mRNA biogenesis. Overexpression of ESCO2 or depletion of SIRT6 further enhances ALKBH5 lactylation to strengthen IFN-β mRNA biogenesis. Our results identify a posttranslational modification of ALKBH5 and its role in regulating antiviral innate immune responses through m6A modification. The finding provides an understanding of innate immunity and offers a potential therapeutic target for HSV-1, KSHV, and MPXV infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of emerging infectious diseases poses significant challenges to global public health. Accurate early forecasting is crucial for effective resource allocation and emergency response planning. This study aims to develop a comprehensive predictive model for emerging infectious diseases, integrating the blending framework, transfer learning, incremental learning, and the biological feature Rt to increase prediction accuracy and practicality. By transferring features from a COVID-19 dataset to a monkeypox dataset and introducing dynamically updated incremental learning techniques, the model's predictive capability in data-scarce scenarios was significantly improved. The research findings demonstrate that the blending framework performs exceptionally well in short-term (7-day) predictions. Furthermore, the combination of transfer learning and incremental learning techniques significantly enhanced the adaptability and precision, with a 91.41% improvement in the RMSE and an 89.13% improvement in the MAE. In particular, the inclusion of the Rt feature enabled the model to more accurately reflect the dynamics of disease spread, further improving the RMSE by 1.91% and the MAE by 2.17%. This study underscores the significant application potential of multimodel fusion and real-time data updates in infectious disease prediction, offering new theoretical perspectives and technical support. This research not only enriches the theoretical foundation of infectious disease prediction models but also provides reliable technical support for public health emergency responses. Future research should continue to explore integrating data from multiple sources and enhancing model generalization capabilities to further enhance the practicality and reliability of predictive tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) is an extremely infectious, viral, and chronic skin disease that is caused by the Capripox virus. This viral disease is predominantly found in cows. Mosquitoes and ticks are the primary transmitters for the spread of this virus. Recently, LSDV has been rapidly spreading all over the world, especially in several areas of Pakistan, India, and Iran. Thousands of cows have died due to this infectious virus in Pakistan and early detection of LSDV is needed to avoid further loss. The prediction and classification of LSDV are hindered by the lack of publicly available datasets. Despite a few studies using LSDV datasets, such datasets are often small, which may lead to model overfitting. In this regard, we collect the dataset from several online sources, as well as, collecting images from veterinary farms in different areas of Pakistan. Deep learning has been widely used in the medical field for disease detection and classification. Therefore, this study leverages DenseNet deep learning models for LSDV detection and classification. Experiments are performed using VGG-16, ResNet-50, MobileNet-V2, custom-designed convolutional neural network, and Inception-V3. The DenseNet architecture presents a Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) and Spatial Attention (SA) for the prediction and classification of LSD. Results demonstrate that a 99.11% accuracy can be obtained on the augmented dataset while a 94.23% accuracy can be achieved with the original dataset for chicken pox, monkey pox, and LSDV. Comparison with state-of-the-art studies corroborates the superior performance of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the 2022 mpox outbreak, our study conducted 30 interviews with a recruited sample of Chicago gay men (age 18+) during June-September to investigate their experiences of mpox, HIV/AIDS, and COVID-19. Participants were interviewed with a semi-structured guide about gay sexual identity and social experiences; HIV/AIDS, ART, and PrEP; and COVID-19 behaviors and vaccination. All 30 interview respondents had been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and expressed minimal COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. All the men living with HIV in our study were on ART with HIV well controlled. A majority of HIV- participants (70%) were on PrEP, with participants universally aware of PrEP benefits. Additionally, most participants had already received at least one shot of the Jynneos mpox vaccine, with many interviewees enduring long lines, sometimes at multiple locations, before vaccination in primarily gay social spaces. These Chicago gay men demonstrated widespread enthusiasm for mpox vaccination as a disease prevention strategy and most of them had already been vaccinated despite significant barriers. The enthusiasm of the participants in our study emerged within a medical landscape shaped by both COVID-19 vaccination and HIV/AIDS-related health interventions including ART and PrEP, which may have helped instill increased medical trust among this population. Our study suggests that out urban gay men may comprise a distinctive minority population with increased medical trust due to specific social, sexual, and historical experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four fundamental models that describe the spread of Monkeypox disease are analyzed: the SIR-SIR, SEIR-SIR, SIR-SEIR, and SEIR-SEIR models. They form the basis of most Monkeypox diseases models that are currently discussed in the literature. It is shown that the way the model subpopulations are organized in disease outbreaks and evolve relative to each other is determined by the relevant unstable system eigenvectors, also called order parameters. For all models, analytical expressions of the order parameters are derived. Under appropriate conditions these order parameters describe the initial outbreak phases of exponential increase in good approximation. It is shown that all four models exhibit maximally two order parameters and maximally one human–animal order parameter. The human–animal order parameter firmly connects the outbreak dynamics in the animal system with the dynamics in the human system. For the special case of the SIR-SIR model, it is found that the two possible order parameters completely describe the dynamics of infected humans and animals during entire infection waves. Finally, a simulation of a Monkeypox infection wave illustrates that in line with the aforementioned analytical results the leading order parameter explains most of the variance in the infection dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mpox, caused by the Mpox virus (MPXV), emerged globally in 2022 with the Clade IIb strain, presenting a critical public health challenge. While MPXV is primarily characterized by fever and rash, gastrointestinal (GI) complications, such as diarrhea and proctitis, have also been observed. This study is a reanalysis of GSE219036 without own data and focuses on the impact of MPXV infection on the colon, using human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived colon organoids as a model. We applied a tailored statistical framework for RNA-seq data, Generalized Linear Models with Quasi-Likelihood F-tests and Relaxed Magnitude–Altitude Scoring (GLMQL-RMAS), to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) across MPXV clades: MPXV I (Zr-599 Congo Basin), MPXV IIa (Liberia), and MPXV IIb (2022 MPXV). Through a novel methodology called Cross-RMAS, we ranked genes by integrating statistical significance and biological relevance across all clades. Machine learning analysis using the genes identified by Cross-RMAS, demonstrated 100% accuracy in differentiating between the different MPXV strains and mock samples. Furthermore, our findings reveal that MPXV Clade I induces the most extensive alterations in gene expression, with significant upregulation of stress response genes, such as HSPA6 and FOS, and downregulation of genes involved in cytoskeletal organization and vesicular trafficking, such as PSAP and CFL1. In contrast, Clade IIb shows the least impact on gene expression. Through Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, we identified pathways involved in protein folding, immune response, and epithelial integrity that are disrupted in infected cells, suggesting mechanisms by which MPXV may contribute to GI symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual‐mode readout platforms with colorimetric and electrochemiluminescence (ECL) signal enhancement are proposed for the ultrasensitive and flexible detection of the monkeypox virus (MPXV) in different scenes. A new nanotag, Ru@U6‐Ru/Pt NPs is constructed for dual‐mode platforms by integrating double‐layered ECL luminophores and the nanozyme using Zr‐MOF (UiO‐66‐NH2) as the carrier, which not only generates enhanced ECL and colorimetric signals but also provide greater stability than that of commonly used nanotags. Dual‐mode platforms are used within 15 min from the "sample in" to the "result out" steps, without nucleic acid amplification. The colorimetric mode allows the screening of MPXV with the visual limit of detection (vLOD) of 0.1 pM (6 × 108 copies µL−1) and the ECL mode supports quantitative detection of MPXV with an LOD as low as 10 aM (6 copies·µL−1), resulting in a broad sensing range of 60 to 3 × 1011 copies·µL−1 (10 orders of magnitude). Validation is conducted using 50 clinical samples, which is 100% concordant to those of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), indicating that Ru@U6‐Ru/Pt NPs‐based dual‐mode sensing platforms showed great promise as rapid, sensitive, and accurate tools for diagnosis of the nucleic acid of MPXV and other infectious pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The threat of the emergence of potential pandemics in the future has been looming ever since the world witnessed the worst-ever public health catastrophe following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The COVID-19 pandemic affected billions of people killing millions of people throughout the world. Now, we have been noticing an alarming rise in the cases of mpox disease caused by Mpox virus (MPXV). Although discovered in 1958, mpox was largely confined to monkeys before causing the first human infection in 1970. The MPXV is demonstrating a complex transmission behavior as noted by its discovery first in Denmark in monkeys imported from Singapore (Asia) and later spreading to humans causing repeated re-emergence. The virus was confined to the African nations including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) before reemerging in the United States of America in 2003 affecting several people who had a history of contact with animals. Following scattered reports from endemic regions, the virus appears to have remerged after approximately two decades in 2022 involving the United States of America (USA) and European countries. The virus has been spreading across the globe as evidenced by its discovery in 60 countries in 2022 to more than 120 countries in the current year. It is therefore essential to improve the understanding of the MPXV, its epidemiology, pathogenicity and virulence, clinical features, and control and preventive measures and increase preparedness to efficiently tackle any future public health emergency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A thiophosphoric triamide (SPT) ligand P(S)[NH‐2Py]3 was synthesized and utilized as a ligand to make novel binuclear and mononuclear Co2+ and Cd2+ complexes. The compounds are the first examples of discrete chelate SPT complexes with a [N]3P(S)‐based backbone in which the SPT acts as a flexible tridentate N,N,N‐donor or N,N,O‐donor ligand. The metal cation features a hexacoordinate environment M(N)3(Cl)3/M(N)4(O)2 adopting a distorted octahedral geometry. Hirshfeld surface analysis affirms that the pyridinyl nitrogen is a more dominant H‐bond acceptor than the thiophosphoryl sulfur atom. The inhibitory activity against the MDA‐MB‐231 cancer cell line in vitro indicated a good inhibitory effect for all compounds. The mononuclear Co2+ complex showed a stronger inhibitory activity against cancer cells than other studied compounds with an IC50 of 62 ± 1.4 nM. Antioxidant and antihemolytic activity of the compounds showed appreciable performance with the highest activities for the Cd2+ complex. A computational DNA binding study by molecular docking indicated a good affinity of the compounds with the DNA receptor by a mixed mode of interactions. Docking was also performed on SARS‐CoV‐2 and monkeypox (Mpox), resulting in binding energies (−5.5 to −8.9 kcal/mol) that are competitive with current effective drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental health of human beings since 2020, especially the young people and the pre-existing marginalized groups such as men who have sex with men (MSM). During the COVID-19 pandemic, the multi-country outbreak of mpox in 2022 additionally posed a significant stress on the most-affected communities (i.e., MSM). This study investigated the level of depressive symptoms and its multifaceted associated factors among Chinese young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in this unique period. In September 2022, a large-scale cross-sectional survey was conducted among YMSM aged 18–29 years across six representative provinces in China. Hierarchical regression analysis was performed to test the various types of associated factors of depressive symptoms. Among the 2493 participants, 65.6 % (n = 1638) reported mild to severe depressive symptoms. The hierarchical regression analysis identified that depressive symptoms was significantly positively associated with unemployment, having substance use in the past 6 months, a higher level of MSM self-stigma, incompletion of COVID-19 vaccination, greater mpox risk perception, and presence of mpox related-like symptoms. This study used the facility-based sampling method to recruit the participants, which may lead to selection bias. Chinese YMSM faced significant mental health challenges during the concurrent epidemics of COVID-19 and mpox, which was associated with their socio-economic status, risk behaviors, stigma, and multiple diseases-related variables. Proactive measures may hold promise as effective strategies for mitigating mental distress among marginalized groups during public health crises. • YMSM experienced severe depressive symptoms in dual-threat context in China. • Identifies key influencing factors across demographic and psychosocial realms. • Urges tailored mental health support for YMSM during health emergencies. • Recommends proactive mental health measures like campaigns and counseling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by monkeypox virus infection. It is easily transmitted among people and poses a major threat to human health, making it of great significance in public health. Therefore, this paper proposes MSMP-Net, a multi-scale neural network for end-to-end monkeypox virus skin lesion classification ConvNeXt is used as the backbone network, and designs such as inverse bottleneck layers and large convolution kernels are used to enhance the network's feature extraction capabilities. In order to effectively utilize the multi-level feature maps generated by the backbone network, a multi-scale feature fusion structure was designed. By fusing the deepest feature maps of multi-scale features, the model's ability to represent monkeypox image features is enhanced. Experimental results show that the accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score of this method on the MSLD v2.0 dataset are 87.03 ± 3.43%, 87.59 ± 3.37%, 87.03 ± 3.43%, and 86.58 ± 3.66%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study investigated the Mpox outbreak that occurred in a health cluster of three hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, involving 97 patients diagnosed between May and December 2023. Among them, 48% were Saudi nationals, 94% were men, and 73% were under 35 years old. While sexual activity was a potential transmission mode, only 38% of patients reported it. All patients were presented with skin lesions and common symptoms like fever, headaches, and itching, with two being HIV positive. Genotyping revealed all samples were from subclade IIb (West Africa clade). Unlike previous outbreaks, rashes and systemic symptoms emerged simultaneously without a prodromal phase. Stringent infection control measures kept healthcare workers safe, although underreporting of sexual behavior may limit the study’s findings. This highlights the need for Mpox consideration in young individuals with skin lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article from the New England Journal of Medicine discusses the risks, vertical transmission, prevention, and treatment of Mpox in pregnancy. Mpox is caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV) and can be transmitted from mother to fetus, potentially leading to adverse outcomes. The article highlights the urgent need for data to enhance understanding and mitigate risks associated with MPXV infection during pregnancy. Research efforts are focused on investigating transmission patterns, vertical transmission mechanisms, clinical outcomes, vaccine effectiveness, antiviral treatment evaluation, and community engagement to prevent and treat Mpox in pregnant and breastfeeding women. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the importance of addressing the handling and consumption of bushmeat to prevent the spread of mpox, a public health emergency. It emphasizes the need for a collaborative One Health approach that considers social, economic, and environmental factors. The article suggests applying lessons from food safety efforts in informal markets and highlights the importance of capacity-building, motivation and incentives, and enabling policies and regulations. It also emphasizes the role of the One Health approach in reducing transmission at the animal-human-environmental interface. The article concludes by proposing a pilot intervention using the "three-legged stool" approach and One Health collaboration. [Extracted from the article]