Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, and Treatment Options of Monkeypox: A Narrative Review

Recently, human mpox (monkeypox) has emerged as a global outbreak. This debilitating disease is the result of a zoonotic infection and often entails multiorgan involvement. The knowledge of pathophysiology and treatment options is evolving. This review aims to summarise the pathophysiology and current treatment options of mpox. Prevention and vaccination strategies are out of the scope of this review. We performed a literature review to achieve this objective. Mpox is a zoonotic infection caused by the monkeypox virus, a double-stranded DNA virus. The virus, with debilitating complications, affects multiorgan functions, including skin and other systems. The available treatments for this widespread infection are limited. Only a few antivirals have been sanctioned and approved by the regulatory authorities. We have summarised the efficacy and safety of the three antiviral agents, namely, cidofovir (CDV), brincidofovir (BDV), and tecovirimat. The available limited evidence points towards promising efficacy and tolerability of tecovirimat.