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Abstract

We describe a rapidly expanding clade Ib mpox outbreak among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Northern Ireland. Following 12 months with no detected mpox cases, 22 confirmed cases were notified between 6 and 30 June 2026. Cases had a median age of 41 years; 19 had not travelled outside the United Kingdom or Ireland in the 21 days before symptom onset. The outbreak is characterised by severe anorectal disease and presentation to non-sexual health settings, including secondary care.

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/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.30.2600604
2026-07-30
2026-08-11
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.30.2600604
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A rapidly developing outbreak of clade Ib mpox among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men associated with severe proctitis, Northern Ireland, June 2026
<p class="citation"> <span>Citation style for this article:</span> <span class="meta-value authors"> <a href="/search?value1=Abbie+Harrison&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Harrison Abbie</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Catherine+Burns&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Burns Catherine</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Corey+Magee&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Magee Corey</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Monica+Sloan&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Sloan Monica</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Joy+Murphy&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Murphy Joy</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Laura+McCartney&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">McCartney Laura</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Maeve+Middleton&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Middleton Maeve</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Emma+McCarty&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">McCarty Emma</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Eoin+Walker&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Walker Eoin</a>, <a href="/search?value1=John+White&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">White John</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Melissa+Perry&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Perry Melissa</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Nuala+Cavanagh&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Cavanagh Nuala</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Bill+Gibson&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Gibson Bill</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Stephen+Megarity&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Megarity Stephen</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Kathy+Li&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Li Kathy</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Susan+Feeney&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Feeney Susan</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Declan+Bradley&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Bradley Declan</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Peter+Naughton&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Naughton Peter</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Rachel+Coyle&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Coyle Rachel</a></span>. A rapidly developing outbreak of clade Ib mpox among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men associated with severe proctitis, Northern Ireland, June 2026. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2026;31(30):pii=2600604. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.30.2600604" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.30.2600604</a> <span class="ES_Article_citation"> <span class="generated">Received</span>: 16 Jul 2026;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="generated">Accepted</span>: 30 Jul 2026 </span> </p>
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.30.2600604
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.30.2600604
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