Monkeypox is a rare disease that is caused by infection with monkeypox virus.
Monkeypox virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae.
- Enveloped double‐stranded DNA virus with a genome size of around 190 kb
- There are two distinct genetic clades of the monkeypox virus: the central African (Congo Basin) clade and the west African clade.
- The Congo Basin clade has historically caused more severe disease and was thought to be more transmissible. The geographical division between the two clades has so far been in Cameroon, the only country where both virus clades have been found.
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