Human-to-Human Transmission of Monkeypox Virus, United Kingdom, October 2018

Overview

Journal Emerg Infect Dis

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2020 Feb 6

PMID 32023204

Citations 193

Authors

Aisling Vaughan

Emma Aarons

John Astbury

Tim Brooks

Meera Chand

Peter Flegg

Angela Hardman

Nick Harper

Richard Jarvis

Sharon Mawdsley

Mark McGivern

Dilys Morgan

Gwyn Morris

Grainne Nixon

Catherine OConnor

Ruth Palmer

Nick Phin

D Ashley Price

Katherine Russell

Bengu Said

Matthias L Schmid

Roberto Vivancos

Amanda Walsh

William Welfare

Jennifer Wilburn

Jake Dunning

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

In September 2018, monkeypox virus was transmitted from a patient to a healthcare worker in the United Kingdom. Transmission was probably through contact with contaminated bedding. Infection control precautions for contacts (vaccination, daily monitoring, staying home from work) were implemented. Of 134 potential contacts, 4 became ill; all patients survived.

Citing Articles

Cases of high-consequence infectious diseases identified in the UK, 1962-2023.

Atkinson B, Beadsworth M, Dunning J J Med Microbiol. 2025; 74(3).

PMID: 40071494 PMC: 11903645. DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001982.

Global epidemiology, viral evolution, and public health responses: a systematic review on Mpox (1958-2024).

Jadhav V, Paul A, Trivedi V, Bhatnagar R, Bhalsinge R, Jadhav S J Glob Health. 2025; 15:04061.

PMID: 40048320 PMC: 11893143. DOI: 10.7189/jogh.15.04061.

Comprehensive Insights into Monkeypox (mpox): Recent Advances in Epidemiology, Diagnostic Approaches and Therapeutic Strategies.

Kumar S, Guruparan D, Karuppanan K, Kumar K Pathogens. 2025; 14(1).

PMID: 39860962 PMC: 11768232. DOI: 10.3390/pathogens14010001.

[Emerging pathogens of ocular infections due to environmental changes-What lies ahead?].

Roth M, Geerling G, Strzalkowski P, Lindhof H, Guthoff R Ophthalmologie. 2025; 122(1):31-36.

PMID: 39775877 DOI: 10.1007/s00347-024-02176-5.

Challenges in Global Distribution and Equitable Access to Monkeypox Vaccines.

Danladi N, Agboola P, Olaniyi P, Eze S, Oladapo O, Obiwulu D Viruses. 2025; 16(12.

PMID: 39772126 PMC: 11680248. DOI: 10.3390/v16121815.

References

Fine P, Jezek Z, GRAB B, Dixon H . The transmission potential of monkeypox virus in human populations. Int J Epidemiol. 1988; 17(3):643-50. DOI: 10.1093/ije/17.3.643. View

Erez N, Achdout H, Milrot E, Schwartz Y, Wiener-Well Y, Paran N . Diagnosis of Imported Monkeypox, Israel, 2018. Emerg Infect Dis. 2019; 25(5):980-983. PMC: 6478227. DOI: 10.3201/eid2505.190076. View

Sklenovska N, Van Ranst M . Emergence of Monkeypox as the Most Important Orthopoxvirus Infection in Humans. Front Public Health. 2018; 6:241. PMC: 6131633. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2018.00241. View

Durski K, McCollum A, Nakazawa Y, Petersen B, Reynolds M, Briand S . Emergence of Monkeypox - West and Central Africa, 1970-2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018; 67(10):306-310. PMC: 5857192. DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6710a5. View

Likos A, Sammons S, Olson V, Frace A, Li Y, Olsen-Rasmussen M . A tale of two clades: monkeypox viruses. J Gen Virol. 2005; 86(Pt 10):2661-2672. DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.81215-0. View