The risk of reverse zoonotic transmission to pet animals during the current global monkeypox outbreak, United Kingdom, June to mid-September 2022

Wendi Shepherd; Philippa M Beard; Sharon M Brookes; Andrew Frost; Helen Roberts; Katherine Russell; Steve Wyllie

doi:10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.39.2200758

The risk of reverse zoonotic transmission to pet animals during the current global monkeypox outbreak, United Kingdom, June to mid-September 2022

Euro Surveill. 2022 Sep;27(39):2200758. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.39.2200758.

Authors

Wendi Shepherd¹, Philippa M Beard², Sharon M Brookes³, Andrew Frost³, Helen Roberts⁴, Katherine Russell¹, Steve Wyllie³

Affiliations

¹ Emerging Infections and Zoonoses Team, UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom.
² The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright, Surrey, United Kingdom.
³ One Health/Animal and Zoonotic Viral Diseases Portfolio, Animal and Plant Health Authority, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom.
⁴ Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, London, United Kingdom.

PMID: 36177868
PMCID: PMC9524050
DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.39.2200758

Abstract

We report results of surveillance between June and mid-September 2022 of pet animals living in households of confirmed human monkeypox (MPX) cases. Since surveillance commenced, 154 animals from 40 households with a confirmed human MPX case were reported to the United Kingdom Animal and Plant Health Agency. No animals with clinical signs of MPX were identified. While a risk of transmission exists to pets from owners with a confirmed MPX virus infection, we assess this risk to be low.

Keywords: Monkeypox; one health; pets; poxvirus; reverse transmission; zoonosis.

MeSH terms

Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
Humans
Monkeypox virus
Mpox (monkeypox)* / diagnosis
Mpox (monkeypox)* / epidemiology
Mpox (monkeypox)* / veterinary
United Kingdom / epidemiology