Shah Yogendra, Singh Ankit Kumar, Acharya Bipin Kumar, Lamichhane Mandira, Dhami Ram Singh, Pandey Kishor, Dumre Shyam Prakash, Morita Kouichi, Dev Pandey Basu, Dhimal Meghnath
Planetary Health Research Centre Kathmandu Nepal.
Central Department of Zoology Tribhuvan University Kathmandu Nepal.
Health Sci Rep. 2025 Sep 12;8(9):e71168. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.71168. eCollection 2025 Sep.
Monkeypox (Mpox) is a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus, a double-stranded DNA virus of the genus with two major clades (Clades I and II), with Clade IIb responsible for most global cases reported during 2022-2024. By July 2024, more than 100,000 Mpox cases and 200 deaths were reported worldwide. Nepal has recently confirmed three imported Mpox cases, raising concerns about the potential for local transmission amid increased labor migration and peacekeeping troops abroad. This study aims to trace out the emerging threat and risk of Mpox transmission in Nepal and preparedness and prevention strategies based on global experiences.
We reviewed global and national epidemiological reports and Mpox case data from the government authority of Nepal to identify Mpox clades with Clade II at the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL).
In Nepal, three cases have been confirmed, all linked with recent travel history to the Middle East country (Saudi Arabia). Mpox reported in Nepal belonged to Clade IIa by sequencing. Additionally, the risk of Mpox transmission among Nepalese individuals in the UN peacekeeping forces stationed in Africa, including a few endemic countries, may be elevated due to shared living conditions, as human-to-human transmission can occur through direct contact, fomites, or respiratory secretions.
Nepal should strengthen molecular laboratories, enforce national guidelines, enhance border health monitoring, raise public awareness, and ensure timely diagnosis and treatment. Coordinated strategies and preparedness are crucial to prevent potential outbreaks and enhance national readiness against future Mpox threats in Nepal. It is recommended that the Government of Nepal adopt and implement a One Health approach for the early detection, control, and prevention of Mpox to minimize transmission risks.
猴痘是由猴痘病毒引起的一种人畜共患病，猴痘病毒是双链DNA病毒，属于痘病毒属，有两个主要分支（分支I和分支II），其中分支IIb导致了2022 - 2024年期间报告的全球大多数病例。截至2024年7月，全球报告了超过10万例猴痘病例和200例死亡。尼泊尔最近确诊了3例输入性猴痘病例，鉴于海外劳务移民和维和部队增加，引发了对本地传播可能性的担忧。本研究旨在查明尼泊尔猴痘传播的新出现威胁和风险，并根据全球经验制定防范和预防策略。
我们查阅了全球和国家流行病学报告以及尼泊尔政府机构的猴痘病例数据，以在国家公共卫生实验室（NPHL）鉴定分支II的猴痘分支。
在尼泊尔，已确诊3例病例，均与近期前往中东国家（沙特阿拉伯）的旅行史有关。通过测序，尼泊尔报告的猴痘属于分支IIa。此外，由于共同生活条件，驻非洲包括一些流行国家的尼泊尔维和部队人员之间猴痘传播的风险可能会升高，因为人际传播可通过直接接触、污染物或呼吸道分泌物发生。
尼泊尔应加强分子实验室建设，执行国家指南，加强边境卫生监测，提高公众意识，并确保及时诊断和治疗。协调一致的策略和防范措施对于预防潜在疫情爆发和增强尼泊尔应对未来猴痘威胁的国家准备至关重要。建议尼泊尔政府采用并实施“同一健康”方法，以早期发现、控制和预防猴痘，尽量降低传播风险。
