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From skin lesions to multi-organ involvement: Organ tropism and pathogenesis of mpox virus

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Mpox virus (MPXV), the causative agent of mpox, is a re-emerging zoonotic orthopoxvirus. Until 2022, infections were largely confined to endemic regions in Central and West Africa. However, following phylogenetic divergence and a subsequent global outbreak in 2022 caused by clade IIb, distinct from the clade I-driven resurgence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2024, MPXV has emerged as a significant global health concern. While mpox is primarily characterized by its distinctive skin lesions, growing clinical and experimental evidence suggests that MPXV can replicate and disseminate to further organ systems, potentially contributing to disease severity. Despite this growing knowledge, the mechanisms underlying MPXV organ tropism and pathogenesis remain poorly understood, posing ongoing challenges for research and clinical management. This review summarizes the latest clinical, pathological, and experimental findings to provide an updated understanding of MPXV tropism and pathogenesis.

Source: iScience

DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.114209

Authors: Anna-Lena Rupp, Jo Paul Meister, Julian Schulze Zur Wiesch, Toni Luise Meister

Institutions: University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, German Center for Infection Research, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Heidelberg University

Language: English

Topic: Poxvirus research and outbreaks

Subfield: Virology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,240