[Mpox, 40 years after smallpox eradication]

In 2022, mpox - a neglected tropical zoonosis - emerged to the world stage. From 1980, the disease was periodically noted, with increasing frequency, in endemic regions of Africa. In 2017, a large outbreak in Nigeria marks a turning point in the evolution of mpox and seems to be at the origin of the 2022 pandemic. The factors for mpox emergence are complex and include loss of cross-protection conferred by smallpox vaccination, increased exposure to the animal reservoir, and increased human-to-human transmission due to behavioral factors. While the current epidemic seems under control, an evolution towards a more transmissible or more virulent virus is not excluded. The 2022 pandemic is an opportunity to initiate and strengthen mpox surveillance, prevention and care management among all affected populations.