HAIRS risk assessment: mpox
Qualitative assessment of the risk that mammalian pets exposed to monkeypox virus present to the UK population.
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In May 2022, human-to-human transmission of monkeypox virus (MPXV) was observed in several non-endemic countries, including the UK.
During a previous mpox incident in the UK during 2018, a pet management process had to be swiftly implemented for one affected household, without conducting a risk assessment a priori.
As the numbers of affected households in the UK related to the 2022 outbreak rapidly increased, this warranted a thorough assessment of the risk posed by mammalian pets exposed to MPXV to people with whom they may subsequently have come into contact. Clade II mpox cases continue to be reported globally.
Since 2023, there have been growing outbreaks of clade I MPXV, affecting Central and East African countries. A travel-associated case of clade Ib mpox was detected in the UK on 30 October 2024. By 6 November 2024, 3 additional cases in the same household were reported. Two further, unrelated imported cases of clade Ib mpox (both with a travel history to Uganda) were reported on 6 November 2024 and 20 January 2025. It is possible that future incursions of clade I mpox may occur in the UK, which could result in household transmission where pets are present.
A PDF version of this risk assessment is available on request from HAIRS@UKHSA.gov.uk
Updates to this page
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Updated epidemiological content and background information as per recent developments in the mpox outbreak.
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Updated to reflect a change in monkeypox clade nomenclature and to acknowledge reports of human-to-animal transmission of monkeypox virus.
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First published.