Increasing new cases of mpox in Italy: From an epidemic infection to an endemic sexually transmitted disease?

This article focuses on the recent global resurgence of mpox (monkeypox), highlighting the detection of a more severe strain, clade Ib, outside Africa for the first time in Sweden in August 2024. It reports an increase in cases across 117 countries, including new infections in Italy primarily among men who have sex with men (MSM), some of whom are living with HIV. The article emphasizes that human-to-human transmission during the 2022 outbreak was mainly through direct sexual contact among high-risk groups and notes the role of vaccination, specifically the Jynneos (MVA-BN) vaccine, in controlling spread among at-risk populations. It calls for expanded vaccination efforts, particularly in African countries where mpox is endemic, to reduce transmission and address global health inequities.