Mpox is an infectious disease caused by a poxvirus, meaning a virus in the same family as smallpox. The infection was formerly known as monkeypox.
Historically, mpox was endemic to Africa, and the virus consistently spread in the continent's central, eastern and western regions. In 2022, an unprecedented global outbreak spurred the widespread transmission of mpox in places that had seen only sporadic cases in the past.
Today, many countries affected by that outbreak — including Germany, Portugal and the United States — are still contending with local mpox transmission. Here's what to know about the virus, how it spreads and how to prevent infection.
What to know about mpox in the U.S.
Mpox is still spreading at low levels in the United States and may soon be considered endemic to the...
English (US)