Mpox: UK officials report 1st first case of Clade Ib
UK health officials report detecting a single confirmed human case of Clade Ib mpox in London.
This is the first detection of this Clade of mpox in the UK. It is different from mpox Clade II that has been circulating at low levels in the UK since 2022, primarily among gay, bisexual and other men-who-have-sex-with-men (GBMSM).
Clade Ib mpox was detected by UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing.
The case was detected in London and the individual has been transferred to the Royal Free Hospital High Consequence Infectious Diseases unit. They had recently travelled to countries in Africa that are seeing community cases of Clade Ib mpox.
Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at the UKHSA, said:
It is thanks to our surveillance that we have been able to detect this virus. This is the first time we have detected this Clade of mpox in the UK, though other cases have been confirmed abroad.
The risk to the UK population remains low, and we are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread. In accordance with established protocols, investigations are underway to learn how the individual acquired the infection and to assess whether there are any further associated cases.
Clade Ib mpox has been widely circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in recent months and there have been cases reported in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Sweden, India and Germany.
Wendi Shepherd, Deputy Director of Health Protection for Public Health Wales, said:
“Public Health Wales is aware of the case of Clade I Mpox reported in England. We can confirm that there are no Mpox Clade I cases currently reported in Wales.
“We are working with the Welsh Government, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Public Health Scotland, and Public Health Agency Northern Ireland, and we are ready to respond to cases of Clade I Mpox in Wales if they should occur.
“The overall risk to the UK population of Mpox remains low.”
Public Health Scotland is working closely with public health colleagues across the UK, as well as NHS boards in Scotland, to monitor the situation and prepare for any cases that that might be seen in Scotland.
Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) is a viral infection that spreads through close person-to-person contact. Like many diseases caused by a virus, mpox has different types or ‘clades’. There are two major clades of mpox, known as clade I and clade II.
Anyone can catch either clade of mpox, as it spreads from person-to-person, through close contact (including intimate or sexual contact) with someone who has the mpox virus, through contact with contaminated materials, such as bed sheets or towels, and contact with infected animals.
Mpox does not spread easily between people unless there is close contact.
Spread between people may occur through:
direct contact with rash, skin lesions or scabs (including during sexual contact, kissing, cuddling or other skin-to-skin contact)
contact with bodily fluids such as saliva, snot or mucous
contact with clothing or linens (such as bedding or towels) or other objects and surfaces used by someone with mpox
The symptoms of mpox include:
A skin rash with blisters, spots or ulcers that can appear anywhere on your body (including your genitals)
Fever
Headaches, backache, and muscle aches
Joint pains
Swollen glands
Shivering (chills) and exhaustion
A rash usually appears 1 to 5 days after a fever, headache and other symptoms. The rash (spots, blisters or ulcers) often begins on the face, then spreads to other parts of the body. This can include the mouth, genitals and anus. The number of sores can range from one to several thousand.