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Updated: Jul 6, 2026
06:25
Analysis of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-specific CD8+ T-cells in Rhesus Macaques by Peptide-MHC-I Tetramer Staining
Published on: December 23, 2016
[Human monkeypox]
13, rue Rouget-de-l'Isle, 292002 Brest, France. chastelc@aol.com
Pathologie-Biologie
|April 9, 2008
Summary
Monkeypox, a DNA virus, emerged in humans in Africa in 1970. An international exotic animal trade outbreak in the USA in 2003 highlighted its zoonotic potential and global health risks.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Zoonosis
- Epidemiology
Context:
- Monkeypox is a DNA virus, an orthopoxvirus related to smallpox and vaccinia viruses.
- First identified in captive monkeys, it became a recognized human pathogen in tropical Africa by 1970.
- Sporadic cases and rare human-to-human transmissions occurred in Africa, often linked to forest intrusions.
Purpose:
- To document the emergence and spread of monkeypox virus.
- To analyze the significance of monkeypox as a human pathogen.
- To assess the public health implications of zoonotic viral diseases.
Summary:
- Monkeypox, caused by a DNA virus, was historically confined to sporadic cases in Africa.
- An outbreak in the USA in 2003, linked to exotic animal trade, demonstrated its potential for international spread.
- This event underscored the zoonotic risks associated with the exotic animal trade and increased scientific understanding of monkeypox.
Impact:
- The 2003 USA outbreak shifted the perception of monkeypox from an African concern to a potential global health threat.
- Highlighted the public health hazards associated with the international trade of exotic animals.
- Stimulated extensive scientific investigation into monkeypox, enhancing knowledge of this zoonosis.
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