Viruses are responsible for a substantial number of medically important emerging and reemerging infections as well as a wide spectrum of infectious diseases affection both animal and humans. They represent a far bigger harm to public health globally now than they did a century ago [
1]. They are responsible for some of the most frightening and deadly human infections, and their capacity to spread quickly makes them substantial contributors to the morbidity and mortality of worldwide infectious diseases [
2] For example, more than 30 million people are believed to have died from AIDS, and more than 30 million are thought to be living with HIV/AIDS. Additionally, it is estimated that more than two million new infections occur each year. Monkeypox is a zoonosis caused by the Monkeypox virus (MPXV), a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus [
3]. The MPXV virus is linked to the Variola virus, which causes smallpox. Although the two viruses have many clinical similarities, monkeypox is often milder than smallpox [
4]. The MPXV is a double-stranded DNA virus that belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus. Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease that was originally discovered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, previously Zaire) in 1970 as a human pathogen [
5]. The monkeypox virus seems to be greater (200-250 nm) under electron microscopy. The brick-shaped Poxviruses has a genome of double stranded linear DNA enclosed in a lipoprotein envelope [
6,
7]. Apart from relying on host ribosome for translation of mRNA, poxviruses have all of the required replication, transcription, assembly, and egress proteins encoded in their genome [
6,
8]. Vaccine-induced immunity to the monkeypox virus had previously been obtained; however, elimination of smallpox and consequent failure of vaccine measures enabled the monkeypox to become clinically relevant [
9]. Furthermore, because the majority of monkeypox cases arise in rural areas of Africa, possible underreporting might lead to an underestimating of the possible risk of this virus [
10]. One feature of the monkeypox virus that has gotten a lot of interest but still hasn't been fully explained the process that helps the virus to survive in nature. That information gap restricts our capacity to effectively forecast how changes in the environment like habitat disruption, climate change, and rainfall etc. may affect prevalence of virus in nature and, by consequence, chances of monkeypox infection in humans. Monkeypox is now restricted in the moist forest areas of Central and West Africa, and rational, prolonged reporting of cases has been mostly confined to the Democratic Republic of the Congo [
11].
Figure 1.
Graphical Abstract.
Following verified case in the West African clade of monkeypox virus announced on 7 May 2022 in the United Kingdom (UK) and several countries subsequently, global interest has been focused on the monkeypox virus. The growing worldwide monkeypox outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on July 23 by WHO. Currently, the WHO European Region is the site to the great majority of reported cases. In order to handle the epidemic with the necessary urgency, WHO/Europe is still committed to working in partnership with communities and countries. The affected person had previously visited Nigeria and returned to the United Kingdom [
12]. The most recent cases before this outbreak were reported in 2021. According to the UK Health Security Agency, viral transmission was documented in Europe without epidemiological ties, travel history to Africa, or known exposure to an infected individual [
12]. Cases have been detected in different countries like Australia, Canada, USA, Israel, and some European nations, such as the France, United Kingdom, Portugal, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Sweden, and Netherlands. Over 100 confirmed cases have been reported outside of Africa [
13]. The West African clade is responsible for all documented instances outside of Africa. The animal origin, reservoir host for viral circulation, and natural history is yet unknown [
14]. Continuous monitoring of the monkeypox virus in endemic areas will aid in our understanding of the virus's zoonotic origin. Monkeypox has moderate clinical symptoms, with a fever, enlargement of lymph node, rash and most people recover within a few weeks. When a suspected or new confirmed case is identified, complete isolation with supportive treatment and quarantine procedures should be in operation. The end of smallpox vaccination in 1980, together with declining immunity among the population and a rise in the number of non-immune people, resulted in an increase in the prevalence of monkeypox [
14]. It has been found that the smallpox vaccination can prevent monkeypox [
15]. Furthermore, MVA-BN (JYNNEOS in the US, IMVAMUNE in Canada, and IMVANEX in Europe) is the only licensed vaccine for the prevention of monkeypox, and Tecovirimat SIGA (Tpoxx) is a drug approved for the treatment. Despite the fact that they were identified in 1958, these countermeasures are still not extensively used [
15]. Despite the fact that monkeypox is still a relatively rare virus, the rising number of cases across Europe and in non-endemic countries is causing concern around the world. Transmission patterns, epidemiological studies, and the ecology of the ailment are all incomplete, and further research is needed. To deal with emerging or reemerging viral threats in a sustainable way, encouraging precautionary measures, awareness campaigns, educating health care workers, and advancing public health preparation with preventative continuous comprehensive monitoring, early detection, rapid risk evaluations, contact tracing, and response activities should be critical. The COVID-19 pandemic emphasizes the need to enhance national healthcare systems as well as develop global laws and regulatory frameworks to react rapidly to possible threats [
16]. The World Health Organization and other government agencies are gathering data, identifying information gaps, and prioritizing research issues for monkeypox research in terms of developing a quick-response action plan to combat the outbreaks. Overall, the outbreak must be closely watched, and researchers must continue to investigate treatment alternatives and control methods, as well as encourage the public to follow safety regulations addressed by national and international and national health authorities [
17]. In this review, morphology, genome, and replication cycle of monkeypox virus is described. How this virus transmitted from early zoonotic sources into humans, its clinical presentations, epidemiology, diagnosis, as well as treatment strategies.