mpox

[ em-poks ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. a disease caused by a virus of the genus Orthopoxvirus, clinically similar to but less severe than smallpox, and transmitted to humans via contact with an infected person or animal, or with a contaminated material: first identified in humans in 1970, outbreaks historically occurred mostly in central and western Africa, with the United States in 2003 having the first confirmed cases outside of Africa, followed by global outbreaks, especially in Europe and the Americas, that became increasingly reported in the 2020s. : MPX

Word History and Origins

Origin of mpox¹

First recorded in 2022; partial abbreviation of monkeypox ( def )

Example Sentences

Alarm bells should be blaring about the growing mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where community organizations best positioned to prevent a wider outbreak or pandemic report a lack of funding and shortage of basic supplies.

From Salon

In August, the World Health Organization declared mpox a “public health emergency of international concern.”

From Salon

While dollars should always be stretched to maximize impact, it’s urgent in under-resourced crises like mpox.

From Salon

In an email, Jonas Habimana, executive director of the DRC-based Bureau of Information, Training, Exchanges and Research for Development, or BIFERD, said it best: “We have integrated Mpox into existing interventions and do not have specific funds allocated to Mpox,” adding that “local civil society needs to be actively involved in the response,” but has limited resources.

From Salon

In addition, in order to “combat the prejudices and stereotypes that rural populations are propagating” about mpox, his organization is deploying a team of clinical psychologists directly to communities to support those infected with mpox as well as their families.

From Salon