Strategies for the Monitoring, Treatment, and Prevention of Mpox and Other Poxvirus Infections

Dear Colleagues,

Poxviruses can infect a remarkably wide range of hosts, from (in-)vertebrate animals to humans, making them a one-health concern for veterinary and human medicine worldwide. Some poxviruses were or still are classified as high-consequence pathogens, e.g., mpox, which was lately declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Due to the many and at times devastating outbreaks of poxviral diseases, it is encouraging that some poxviral infections, such as those associated with certain orthopoxviruses, are already vaccine-preventable or are close to being so. The zoonotic nature of many poxvirus-associated diseases, as well as their direct impact on the veterinary sector and economy, render animal vaccines equally important.

Addressing epidemiologic, clinical, and immunologic aspects in animals and humans is necessary for understanding and improving the management of poxvirus infections, including actionable primary prevention.

This Special Issue is dedicated to current and future strategies to enhance the monitoring, treatment, and prevention of poxviral diseases, with a special focus on, but not limited to, mpox.

In this Special Issue, original research articles, reviews, communications, and perspectives are welcome. Research areas include laboratory and clinical vaccine research, utilization, and immunization and may include the following:

• Epidemiology and surveillance of poxvirus infections;
• Risk assessments of zoonotic spillover and the risk of epidemics requiring public health action;
• Studies of the immunogenicity, efficacy, and/or safety of poxvirus vaccines;
• Identification of poxvirus therapeutics and/or novel vaccine candidates;
• Public health and one-health approaches toward enhanced infection control;
• Investigation of vaccination coverage, hesitancy, and/or enhanced vaccine communication.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Patrick Obermeier
Dr. Susanne Buder
Guest Editors

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• poxvirus
• mpox
• emerging infection
• epidemiology
• surveillance
• vaccine
• vaccine efficacy
• immunity
• one health
• global health