Human monkeypox in the US: investigations confirm that multiple animal species are susceptible to infection
Traceback investigations in the human monkeypox outbreak
in the United States have implicated a shipment of animals from Ghana, imported
to Texas on 9 April, as the probable source of introduction of monkeypox virus
into the US (1). The shipment contained approximately 800 small mammals of
nine different species, including six genera of African rodents. Gambian rats
from this shipment were kept in close proximity to prairie dogs at an Illinois
animal vendor implicated in the sale of infected prairie dogs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US has confirmed
the presence of monkeypox virus in one Gambian giant rat, three dormice,
and two rope squirrels that were part of the 9 April shipment (2). Evaluation
of other animals associated with the shipment is ongoing. Evidence of infection
was found in some animals that had been separated from the rest of the shipment
on the day of their arrival into the US, indicating early and possibly widespread
infection among the remaining animals in the shipment. The laboratory investigation
confirmed that multiple animal species are susceptible to infection with
monkeypox virus (1).
Twenty eight residents of six states have received smallpox vaccine since
13 June, to prevent further spread of monkeypox (1). Up to date information
on the outbreak is available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/monkeypox/index.htm.