With the eradication of smallpox in 1980 and subsequent cessation of smallpox vaccination, monkeypox has emerged as the most important orthopoxvirus for public health. Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe. Monkeypox typically presents clinically with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications.Monkeypox is less contagious than smallpox and causes less severe illness. The clinical presentation of monkeypox resembles that of smallpox, a related orthopoxvirus infection which was declared eradicated worldwide in 1980.An antiviral agent developed for the treatment of smallpox has also been licensed for the treatment of monkeypox.Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease that occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of central and west Africa and is occasionally exported to other regions.Monkeypox virus is transmitted from one person to another by close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials such as bedding.Monkeypox is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal, or with material contaminated with the virus.In recent times, the case fatality ratio has been around 3–6%. Monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease with the symptoms lasting from 2 to 4 weeks.

Monkeypox is caused by monkeypox virus, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae.Newer vaccines have been developed of which one has been approved for prevention of monkeypox Vaccines used during the smallpox eradication programme also provided protection against monkeypox.

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