Mpox (Monkeypox)

Description, Reporting, and Case Numbers

Mpox is a viral disease, specifically an orthopoxvirus,¹ and is in the smallpox virus family.

The symptoms of mpox are primarily flu-like (such as fever, headache, muscle aches and backaches, chills, and exhaustion). In addition, a rash may occur before or after the flu-like symptoms. The rash may be painful, itch, or look like pimples or blisters. An infected person is contagious until the rash fully heals, no scabs remain, and there is a new layer of skin.²

Mpox symptoms in people are required to be reported to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) by mandated reporters,³ including both symptoms that are present before laboratory testing and the laboratory testing results. As of September 28, 2023, there were 50 total cases of mpox that had been reported in Kansas⁴.

Treatment and Vaccine

According to KDHE⁵, there are no treatments specifically available for mpox, but a treatment protocol is available based on antiviral drugs and vaccines originally developed to prevent smallpox. KDHE has the antiviral drug tecovirimat (also know as TPOXX) available in a limited supply. Both clinicians and pharmacists may request it through the KDHE Epidemiology Hotline. Availability of the vaccine in Kansas may be found on the KDHE mpox webpage.

Zoonotic Virus

Mpox is a zoonotic virus, meaning it can spread between people and animals.⁶ On August 19, 2022, the American Veterinary Medical Association⁷ reported that in June 2022, researchers in France, confirmed the first known transmission of mpox to have occurred between humans and a dog.

If there is transmission to the animal population, owners of domestic animals have a duty to report diseases to the Animal Health Commissioner per KSA 47-622. The Animal Health Commissioner determines the response needed to protect the health of domestic animals as set forth in KSA 47-610 et seq.

Federal Public Health Emergency

A nationwide public health emergency was declared by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services on August 4, 2022,⁸ for an outbreak of mpox cases. The public health emergency order end expired January 31, 2023⁹ due to a decline in cases. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services continues to monitor the situation and maintains a resource webpage on mpox which includes research, resources, and vaccine distribution information¹⁰

1. Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA). Spring 2022. Monkeypox Outbreak in the U.S. Kansas Animal Health News. p.6. https://agriculture.ks.gov/docs/default-source/dah-newsletters/kdah-summer-2022-newsletter.pdf?sfvrs ↩︎
2. Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Monkeypox (Mpox) Symptoms. https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1923/Mp ↩︎
3. KAR 28-1-2 ↩︎
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2022-2023 U.S. Map & Case Count https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/mpox/response/2022/us-map ↩︎
5. See KDHE mpox webpage in footnote 2. ↩︎
6. KDA.Spring 2022 Monkeypox Outbreak in the U.S. ↩︎
7. American Veterinary Medical Association. August 19, 2022. Human-to-dog Monkeypox Transmission Case Reported. https://www.avma.org/news/human-dogmonkeypox-transmission-case-report ↩︎
8. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response. Determination that a Public Health Emergency Exists. https://aspr.hhs.gov/legal/PHE/Pages/monkeypox-4Aug22.aspx ↩︎
9. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Statement from HHS Secretary Becerra on Mpox. December 2, 2022. https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/12/02/statement-from-hhs-secretary-becerra-on-mpox.ht ↩︎
10. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. HHS Response to the Mpox Outbreak https://www.hhs.gov/mpox/index.htm ↩︎

by Nicole Hrenchir
Legislative Fellow
785-296-3535