Persistent Mpox: New Epidemiology Findings

In 2022, a disease caused by monkeypox virus came to our country. Mpox or monkeypox made its way in Spain, infecting in a single year more than 7,500 people. Even so, starting in 2023, the situation was totally different, since the extent of the disease was smaller.

Although the contagion data were overwhelming, from an epidemiological point of view, Mpox is “low transmission and endemic”. However, monkeypox does have a handicap, and it can cause “permanent” symptoms in certain people.

It is true that it has nothing to do with what we know as persistent covidbut there is a possibility that the symptoms of this disease will be “annoying and long-lasting” in patients with “a compromised immune system.” This is what he states to Medical Writing Pere Godoymember of the Public Health Surveillance Group of the Spanish Society of Epidemiology (SEE).

Mpox, ruled out as a “chronic disease”

Of course, “it would not be considered chronicle at any time.” “This is an acute infectious diseaseTherefore, there are no chronic cases as, for example, in herpes or HIV,” he details. The problem is that Mpox affects people with immunity problems and, sometimes, “the clinical symptoms They can be prolonged in these cases“.

In fact, he assures that it is even “more benign than classic smallpox.” “In people with an undamaged immune system or in good health there have been no serious cases“he points out.

In any case, one of the important points that has meant that the spread of monkeypox in Spain has been minimal is the reaction that there has been. “All the surveillance that has been done of the disease It has been very correct,” he points out.

As he explains to this medium, at the time, the cases were properly counted, investigated and, above all, got vaccinated: “This was very good, using a specific vaccine. Even for some people, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) could be used, in cases where there has been recent contact with someone infected with Mpox.”

Vaccination, advice and research against monkeypox

There are also “many pieces of advice that have helped prevent the disease from spreading.” Among them, “that the affected people cover skin lesionsthat it is better not to have sexual relations or use a condom for twelve weeks from when the clinical picture began, etc.”.

From a public health point of view, for example, “it did have a big impact the first year.” “It was quite spectacular because Spain was one of the most affected countries, and we feared that could be a very important problembut with the passage of time the cases have stabilized, and thanks to the vaccines there has not been a significant resurgence,” he adds.

And since 2022, they have been detected around 9,000 cases of Mpox in our country. Of that total, 7,500 were concentrated in 2022. Of course, in 2025 there was a rebound caused by “the crowds that occurred at festivals or other events this summer.”

However, there was “a small surprise at the end of 2025.” Regarding monkeypox, there are two groups of viruses, 1 and 2. “The great expansion of 2022 occurred due to group 2, which is considered milder than group 1,” he emphasizes. The problem is that “at the end of last year it was detected an autochthonous case of a group 2that is, without having had a connection with any imported case.” “This did cause us some concern, but it is really the only one that has been detected with these characteristics,” he reassures.

For now, the current situation is positive. The cases are controlled and there is no type of alert. However, you should never let your guard down.