Suspected and confirmed mpox cases in DR Congo: a retrospective analysis of national epidemiological and laboratory surveillance data, 2010-23.

Background: DR Congo has the highest global burden of mpox, a disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. The incidence has risen since 1980, but recent analyses of epidemiological trends are lacking. We aimed to describe trends in suspected and confirmed mpox cases in DR Congo using epidemiological and laboratory mpox surveillance data collected from 2010 to 2023, and provide insights that can better inform the targeting and monitoring of control strategies.

Epidemiological and clinical features of mpox during the clade Ib outbreak in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Clade Ib, a new strain of clade I monkeypox virus, emerged in eastern DR Congo, sparking an international outbreak. Comprehensive studies are needed to assess its transmission dynamics and clinical presentation.

Methods: We did a prospective observational cohort study at Kamituga General Hospital in South Kivu, DR Congo, between May 2 and Oct 9, 2024.

Clade I mpox virus genomic diversity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018-2024: Predominance of zoonotic transmission.

Recent reports raise concerns on the changing epidemiology of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). High-quality genomes were generated for 337 patients from 14/26 provinces to document whether the increase in number of cases is due to zoonotic spillover events or viral evolution, with enrichment of APOBEC3 mutations linked to human adaptation. Our study highlights two patterns of transmission contributing to the source of human cases.