This Library Guide is a collection of useful documents & evidence on the efficacy, effectiveness and impact of MPox vaccines to support NITAG members and other policy makers throughout Africa with making evidence-based recommendations.
Mpox (monkeypox) is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever. Most people fully recover, but some get very sick. It can spread from animals to humans and also between people, primarily through close contact.
Partnership for International Vaccine Initiatives (PIVI); Taskforce for Global Health (TFGH); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2025). MPOx Evidence Brief for NITAGs.
Available at: ld.php
Close or intimate contact
Regardless of type, mpox can spread to anyone through close, personal contact, including:
Direct skin-to-skin contact with mpox rash or scabs from a person with mpox
Contact with saliva, upper respiratory secretions (snot, mucus), and bodily fluids or lesions around the anus, rectum, or vagina from a person with mpox
Pregnant women with mpox can pass the virus to the fetus during pregnancy or to the newborn during and after birth.
Direct contact can happen during intimate contact, including:
Oral, anal, or vaginal sex, or touching the genitals (penis, testicles, labia, and vagina) or anus
Hugging, massage, and kissing
Touching objects
The virus that causes mpox can spread through contact with objects, fabrics, and surfaces that have not been disinfected after use by someone with mpox. This includes items like clothing, bedding, towels, dishes, utensils, fetish gear, or sex toys.
Infected animals
Mpox can spread from animals to people in a few ways:
Through small wild animals in West and Central Africa, where mpox is endemic (found naturally).
Direct close contact with an infected animal, fluids or waste, or getting bitten or scratched.
During activities like hunting, trapping, or processing infected wild animals in areas where mpox is endemic.
People are less likely to get mpox from a pet, but it's possible. Close contact with a pet that is infected, including petting, cuddling, hugging, kissing, licking, and sharing sleeping spaces or food, can spread mpox to a person.
To reduce the risk of spreading mpox between animals and people:
Avoid close contact with an animal that might have mpox.
Those who have mpox should avoid contact with animals, including pets, to prevent spreading the virus to them.
To lower your risk of getting mpox:
You can also lower your risk by: