A global update of mpox (monkeypox) in children

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Human mpox (formerly monkeypox) was first identified in a child in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Mpox outbreaks were historically confined to West and Central Africa until the global emergence in May 2022.
• The World Health Organization declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern on July 23, 2022.

Approach:

• Reviewing the epidemiological shifts in mpox cases.
• Analyzing the impact of mpox on pediatric populations globally and in endemic regions.
• Assessing the current global outbreak's characteristics concerning age distribution and affected demographics.

Key Points:

• Mpox epidemiology has shifted from predominantly pediatric cases in Africa to adult cases in the current global outbreak.
• Adult men who have sex with men aged 18-44 are disproportionately affected in the global mpox outbreak.
• Children represent less than 2% of cases in the global outbreak but nearly 40% in African countries, with higher mortality rates.

Conclusions:

• Infants, immunocompromised children, and children in African countries face a high risk of severe mpox.
• Mpox vaccines and therapeutics must be accessible to at-risk and affected children worldwide.
• Equitable access to mpox interventions is particularly critical for children in mpox-endemic African nations.