Mpox is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It is spreads by contact with infected people, material (contaminated sheets, clothes, or needles), or animals (hunting, skinning, or cooking). Pregnant women can also pass it on to their unborn baby. It can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, and fever. There are currently nearly 100,000 global cases of Mpox. Although most people recover, some people can develop severe disease, and the death rate varies from 0.1% to 10%, depending on access to treatment.
Diagnosing mpox based on clinical symptoms can be difficult, because the signs can resemble other infections, so testing is key to treatment and to prevent further spread.
Imperial spinout ProtonDX’s device Dragonfly, created by Dr Jesus Rodriguez Manzano, Professor Pantelis Georgiou, and Dr Nick Moser, Dr Ivana Pennisi, can diagnose mpox.
Other scientists include:
- Dr Kenny Malpartida Cardenas
- Dr Katarzyna Szostak
- Professor Shiranee Sriskandan
- Professor Alison Holmes
