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Vaccinia Virus Infection & Temporal Analysis of Virus Gene Expression: Part 1
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Vaccinia Virus Infection & Temporal Analysis of Virus Gene Expression: Part 1

Published on: April 7, 2009

Four generations of probable person-to-person transmission of human monkeypox

Z Jezek, I Arita, M Mutombo

    American Journal of Epidemiology
    |June 1, 1986
    PubMed

    Insights

    This study investigated a rare human monkeypox outbreak in Zaire, revealing person-to-person transmission among children. The findings highlight the need for continued surveillance of this orthopoxvirus.

    Area of Science:

    • * Virology and Epidemiology
    • * Infectious Diseases
    • * Public Health

    Background:

    • * Human monkeypox is an important orthopoxvirus infection following smallpox eradication.
    • * The disease is typically a zoonosis with difficult person-to-person transmission.
    • * An outbreak in Zaire provided a unique opportunity to study transmission dynamics.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • * To examine an outbreak of five human monkeypox cases in children.
    • * To investigate the transmission routes, including animal-to-human and human-to-human.
    • * To analyze the circumstances of this rare event and its implications for surveillance.

    Main Methods:

    • * Epidemiologic investigation of cases within two families in Zaire.
    • * Tracing the source of infection from potential animal or human contacts.
    • * Analysis of transmission patterns in household and hospital settings.

    Main Results:

    • * The first case was likely infected from an animal source (possibly a monkey).
    • * Four subsequent cases resulted from presumed human-to-human transmission.
    • * Three infections occurred through close household contact; one possibly through casual hospital contact or shared syringes.

    Conclusions:

    • * This outbreak represents a rare instance of significant human-to-human transmission of monkeypox.
    • * The findings underscore the importance of disease surveillance and research for orthopoxviruses.
    • * Understanding transmission is crucial for public health preparedness and control efforts.

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