T he disease is called monkeypox because it was Þ rst identiÞ ed in colonies of monkeys kept for research in 1958. It was only later detected in humans in 1970. Monkeypox is an illness caused by the monkeypox virus. It is a viral zoonotic infection, meaning that it can spread from animals to humans. It is caused by infection with monkeypox virus that occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa and is occasionally exported to other regions. Monkeypox virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae. It can also spread from person to person. In most cases, the symptoms of monkeypox go away within a few weeks. However, in some people, an infection can lead to medical complications and even death. Newborn babies, children and people with underlying immune deÞ ciencies may be at risk of more serious symptoms and death from monkeypox. 1% to 10% of people with monkeypox have died in past years. It is very important to note that death rates in different settings may differ due to a number of factors, such as access to health care. These Fig.s may be an overestimate because surveillance for monkeypox has generally been limited in the past. In the newly affected countries where the current outbreak is taking place, there have been no deaths to date.