Reports of mpox are rising in Africa where the disease is endemic and in new countries where the disease has not been previously seen. The 2022 global outbreak of clade II mpox and an ongoing outbreak of the more lethal clade I mpox highlight the pandemic potential for monkeypox virus. Waning population immunity after the cessation of routine immunization for smallpox plays a key role in the changing epidemiologic patterns of mpox. Sustained human-to-human transmission of mpox is occurring widely in the context of insufficient population immunity, fueling genetic mutations that affect the accuracy of some diagnostic tests and that could lead to changing virulence. Additional research should address complex challenges for control of mpox, including improved diagnostics and medical countermeasures. The availability of vaccines should be expanded not only for outbreak response but also for broader routine use for persons in mpox-endemic countries.

在猴痘流行的非洲和以前未发现过这种疾病的新国家，猴痘的报告正在上升。2022 年全球爆发的 II 型猴痘分支和更致命的 I 型猴痘分支的持续爆发凸显了猴痘病毒的大流行潜力。停止天花常规免疫接种后人群免疫力的减弱在 mpox 流行病学模式的变化中起着关键作用。在人群免疫力不足的情况下，mpox 的持续人际传播广泛发生，助长了基因突变，影响了某些诊断测试的准确性，并可能导致毒力发生变化。应开展更多研究，解决 mpox 控制方面的复杂挑战，包括改进诊断和医疗对策。疫苗的可及性不仅应扩大疫情应对，还应扩大 mpox 流行国家/地区人群的更广泛常规使用。