First detection and autochthonous transmission of monkeypox virus clade Ib in the Netherlands, October to November, 2025

Jelte Elsinga; Celine van de Ven; Anne de Vries; Hester Coppoolse; Mariska Petrignani; Brigitte van Cleef; Riemer van Markus; Nora Carpay; Catharina E van Ewijk; Sjoerd Rebers; Aldert Bart; Karin J von Eije; Brenda Westerhuis; Sylvia Bruisten; Leonard Schuele; Marjan Boter; Richard Molenkamp; Bregtje Lemkes; Suzanne Geerlings; Henry JC de Vries; Marion Koopmans; Marcel Jonges; Bas B Oude Munnink; Matthijs RA Welkers

doi:10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.3.2500958

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First detection and autochthonous transmission of monkeypox virus clade Ib in the Netherlands, October to November, 2025
Jelte Elsinga^1,2 , Celine van de Ven³ , Anne de Vries⁴ , Hester Coppoolse⁵ , Mariska Petrignani³ , Brigitte van Cleef⁵ , Riemer van Markus⁴ , Nora Carpay⁶ , Catharina E van Ewijk⁷ , Sjoerd Rebers¹ , Aldert Bart⁸ , Karin J von Eije⁹ , Brenda Westerhuis⁵ , Sylvia Bruisten⁵ , Leonard Schuele⁹ , Marjan Boter⁹ , Richard Molenkamp⁹ , Bregtje Lemkes⁶ , Suzanne Geerlings⁶ , Henry JC de Vries^2,10,11,12 , Marion Koopmans⁹ , Marcel Jonges¹ , Bas B Oude Munnink^9,** , Matthijs RA Welkers^1,2,**
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Affiliations: ¹ Amsterdam UMC location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam, the Netherlands ² Amsterdam Institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases (AII), Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam, the Netherlands ³ Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service Haaglanden, Den Haag, the Netherlands ⁴ Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service Gooi and Vechtstreek, Bussum, the Netherlands ⁵ Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands ⁶ Amsterdam UMC location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Internal Medicine, Amsterdam, the Netherlands ⁷ Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands ⁸ Tergooi MC, Department of Medical Microbiology, Hilversum, the Netherlands ⁹ Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands ¹⁰ Amsterdam UMC location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Dermatology, Amsterdam, the Netherlands ¹¹ Centre for Sexual Health, Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands ¹² Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

** These authors contributed equally to this work and share last authorship.
Correspondence:
Matthijs RA Welkers
m.r.a.welkers amsterdamumc.nl
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Citation style for this article: Elsinga Jelte, van de Ven Celine, de Vries Anne, Coppoolse Hester, Petrignani Mariska, van Cleef Brigitte, van Markus Riemer, Carpay Nora, van Ewijk Catharina E, Rebers Sjoerd, Bart Aldert, von Eije Karin J, Westerhuis Brenda, Bruisten Sylvia, Schuele Leonard, Boter Marjan, Molenkamp Richard, Lemkes Bregtje, Geerlings Suzanne, de Vries Henry JC, Koopmans Marion, Jonges Marcel, Oude Munnink Bas B, Welkers Matthijs RA. First detection and autochthonous transmission of monkeypox virus clade Ib in the Netherlands, October to November, 2025. Euro Surveill. 2026;31(3):pii=2500958. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.3.2500958 Received: 18 Dec 2025; Accepted: 22 Jan 2026

Abstract

In October–November 2025, eight autochthonous cases of monkeypox (MPXV) clade Ib virus infection were reported in the Netherlands. All cases were men who have sex with men aged 25–65; none required hospital admission or antiviral treatment. Phylogenetic analysis combined with contact tracing suggest multiple introductions or cryptic circulation with onwards transmission within the community. Highly related international sequences were identified dating back to August 2025, indicating sustained global community transmission of clade Ib outside the African continent.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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2026-01-22

2026-02-08

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References

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First detection and autochthonous transmission of monkeypox virus clade Ib in the Netherlands, October to November, 2025

Citation style for this article: <a href="/search?value1=Jelte+Elsinga&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Elsinga Jelte</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Celine+van+de+Ven&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">van de Ven Celine</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Anne+de+Vries&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">de Vries Anne</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Hester+Coppoolse&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Coppoolse Hester</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Mariska+Petrignani&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Petrignani Mariska</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Brigitte+van+Cleef&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">van Cleef Brigitte</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Riemer+van+Markus&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">van Markus Riemer</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Nora+Carpay&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Carpay Nora</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Catharina+E+van+Ewijk&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">van Ewijk Catharina E</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Sjoerd+Rebers&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Rebers Sjoerd</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Aldert+Bart&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Bart Aldert</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Karin+J+von+Eije&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">von Eije Karin J</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Brenda+Westerhuis&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Westerhuis Brenda</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Sylvia+Bruisten&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Bruisten Sylvia</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Leonard+Schuele&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Schuele Leonard</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Marjan+Boter&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Boter Marjan</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Richard+Molenkamp&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Molenkamp Richard</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Bregtje+Lemkes&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Lemkes Bregtje</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Suzanne+Geerlings&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Geerlings Suzanne</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Henry+JC+de+Vries&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">de Vries Henry JC</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Marion+Koopmans&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Koopmans Marion</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Marcel+Jonges&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Jonges Marcel</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Bas+B+Oude+Munnink&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Oude Munnink Bas B</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Matthijs+RA+Welkers&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Welkers Matthijs RA</a>. First detection and autochthonous transmission of monkeypox virus clade Ib in the Netherlands, October to November, 2025. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2026;31(3):pii=2500958. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.3.2500958" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.3.2500958</a> Received: 18 Dec 2025;   Accepted: 22 Jan 2026

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First detection and autochthonous transmission of monkeypox virus clade Ib in the Netherlands, October to November, 2025

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