Health officials in England have identified a new mpox strain that has experts paying close attention.
The virus, discovered in an individual who had recently travelled back from Asia, is a recombinant – meaning it combines genetic elements from two different mpox types known as clade Ib and clade IIb.
It's the first time this particular combination has been spotted in the country, prompting the UK Health Security Agency to work out exactly what this development means.
Dr Katy Sinka, who heads up sexually transmitted infections at UKHSA, explained that genomic testing made the discovery possible.
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Experts say the latest case serves as a reminder that mpox isn't staying put
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"It's normal for viruses to evolve, and further analysis will help us understand more about how mpox is changing," she said.
The health authorities are urging those eligible to get vaccinated.
The jab is between 75 and 80 per cent effective at preventing mpox, and while there haven't been specific studies on this new recombinant strain, officials believe it should still offer strong protection.
"Getting vaccinated is a proven effective way to protect yourself against severe disease, so please make sure to get the jab if you are eligible," Dr Sinka urged.
Vaccination is currently available for those considered most at risk – including gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, particularly those with multiple partners, those who attend sex-on-premises venues, or those who engage in group sex.
This push comes after clade Ib showed early signs of spreading locally across several European countries.
Professor Trudie Lang, who directs the Global Health Network at the University of Oxford, says this case is a reminder that mpox isn't staying put.
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"This case highlights that mpox is circulating globally and is evolving," she noted, adding that such changes are predictable with these types of viruses.
Fortunately, Britain has robust systems in place to spot infections, prevent onward transmission and roll out vaccination campaigns when needed.
Prof Lang is confident these measures should quickly bring things under control here.
But she's worried about other parts of the world where vulnerable communities don't have the same access to testing or vaccines.
If more cases of this strain pop up, understanding how it spreads and how severe it is will be crucial.
The scale of the outbreak globally is striking – there have been nearly 48,000 confirmed mpox cases worldwide this year alone, with around 2,500 recorded in just the past month.
Central Africa remains the hardest hit region.
Continued mpox circulation gives the virus more chances to adapt and become permanently established as a human disease
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Dr Boghuma Titanji, an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Emory University, warned that this recombinant strain is exactly what specialists had feared might happen.
"The identification of a recombinant mpox strain containing elements of both Clade I and Clade II is precisely what experts in the field feared would happen if the virus continued to spread globally without a decisive response to stop it," she said.
The concern now is whether this genetic mixing could change how easily the virus spreads or how severe infections become.
Dr Titanji cautioned that allowing continued circulation gives mpox more chances to adapt and become permanently established as a human disease.
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