Mpox (Monkeypox)

Current Situation

Last Updated October 31, 2025

During October 2025, the California Department of Public Health has confirmed three cases of clade I mpox among residents of Southern California, none of whom had contact with one another or recently traveled outside of the United States. This suggests that mpox is spreading locally from person to person. Before this point, most cases of mpox in the United States were clade II, which is less likely than clade I to cause severe disease. 

While the risk to the general public remains low, the mpox vaccine is the most effective form of protection for people who are at higher risk of getting mpox. Find more guidance for communicating about mpox clades, risk factors, and vaccination below.

A Note on Language

In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that health professionals begin using the term “mpox” to refer to this virus in place of “monkeypox.” The WHO recommended this change for several reasons, including that the term “monkeypox” was misleading for a virus that primarily circulates in rodents and other small mammals. The term “monkeypox” was also found to fuel racist and stigmatizing narratives about many communities. 

As of August 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its subagencies have reverted to using “monkeypox” in reference to this virus. While PHCC recommends that public health professionals continue to use the term “mpox,” it’s likely that your communities will see an uptick in the use of the term “monkeypox” from other sources. When communicating about mpox, ensure your communities are aware that “mpox” and “monkeypox” are referring to the same disease.

A Note on Sourcing

PHCC’s Mpox Talking Points reference the World Health Organization (WHO) as an expert source on mpox. Expert sources are evidence-based, scientifically rigorous, and timely. Some of the information in this resource differs from information shared by Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Talking Points

What is Mpox?

1. Mpox, sometimes referred to as monkeypox, is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus. 
2. There are two main types of mpox: clade I and clade II**. Diseases caused by clades I and II have similar symptoms, but clade I more commonly causes severe illness and is associated with a higher mortality rate. Common symptoms of mpox include fever, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy,  swollen lymph nodes, and a rash.
   • An mpox rash may…
     • Look like pimples or blisters
     • Be painful or itchy
     • Be on the inside of the mouth, face, hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus
3. Overall, symptoms are usually mild or moderate and typically resolve within two to four weeks. Mpox is rarely fatal and can be treated with available antiviral medicines. 

** Clade refers to a genetic lineage of the virus. Clade 1 is the older lineage and is usually found in West/Central Africa. Clade 2 is the more recent one, responsible for the global outbreak.

Mpox Transmission

1. Skin-to-Skin Contact: Mpox spreads through direct skin-to-skin contact with the infected rash, scabs, or body fluids. 
2. Respiratory Droplets: It can also spread through respiratory droplets during prolonged, face-to-face contact, or intimate physical contact with areas around the anus, rectum, or vagina. 
3. Infected Animals: Mpox can spread through sustained close contact with wild animals that carry Mpox naturally or an infected animal with Mpox. 

As of October 2025, mpox cases in the United States have mostly been caused by clade II. While health officials don’t have a lot of data about the spread of clade I mpox vs. clade II mpox in the United States, clades I and II have spread in different ways in Central Africa. 

• Clade II is mostly transmitted through same-sex sexual contact and is not often seen in children. 

Clade I is mostly transmitted through exposure to animals carrying the disease, close sexual contact, contaminated objects, and from person-to-person within a household. Clade I also frequently impacts children and causes more severe disease than clade II.

Any person can contract Mpox, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. To date, most cases in the United States have been in men who have sex with men, and the general population is currently at low risk of contracting the infection.

Mpox Vaccination and Prevention

1. Vaccination: The WHO recommends vaccination for people who are at high-risk of getting mpox, including healthcare professionals at risk of exposure, people who have been in close contact with people who have mpox, people who have multiple sex partners, and sex workers of any gender and their clients.  
   • Data from clinical trials and community use indicate that the mpox vaccine is a safe and effective form of protection against both clades I and II.
2. Prevention:  In addition to vaccination, mpox prevention habits that can lower the risk of infection include: 
   • Avoiding close contact with people who have a rash that looks like Mpox 
   • Avoiding contact with utensils that someone with Mpox has used 
   • Practicing frequent handwashing 
3. Individuals with Mpox should follow isolation guidance until the rash has healed and a new layer of skin has formed. Additionally, they should increase their hygiene efforts to prevent the spread. 

Mpox Treatment

1. There is no specific medicine or treatment for Mpox. Mpox is rarely fatal and mild symptoms can often be treated at home.  In some cases, a healthcare professional may prescribe available antiviral medications. Most people with Mpox recover within two to four weeks without medical care.

Updated October 31, 2025