Mpox outbreak, first neglected in Africa, could now turn into the next global pandemic

Mpox outbreak could now turn into the next global pandemic

The mpox outbreak in Africa is yet another example of how infectious diseases perceived to be “someone else’s problem”, and affecting mainly poor, developing countries, may suddenly pose unexpected global threats.

Mpox was discovered in 1958 (in captive monkeys, hence the original misnomer “monkeypox”) and the first human case was identified in 1970. Then for decades it was largely neglected by the scientific and public health communities, regarded as an uncommon infection in remote rural areas in tropical Africa without relevance for the rest of the world.

When a massive mpox outbreak hit developed countries in 2022, increased research funding led to a surge in scientific studies. On just one medical search engine, there’s been more research produced since April 2022 than in the preceding 60 years.

The 2022-23 global mpox outbreak happened despite repeated calls from African researchers for increased global investment in diagnostic, therapeutic and infection prevention tools for mpox.

The WHO has now declared the current upsurge of mpox in central Africa a public health emergency of international concern.

This is the highest alert level for events that constitute a public health risk to other countries and requires a coordinated international response.

We are infectious disease researchers who have worked on HIV, SARS-CoV-2 and other viral infections.