Environmental Mpox

Mpox is a zoonotic viral disease endemic to certain regions of Central and West Africa. While much of the public health focus has been on human cases, our work is centered on the wildlife and environmental reservoirs that may play a key role in the virus’s transmission cycle. For the past two years, HEADA, through funding by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) of the U.S. Department of Defense and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and operational collaboration with the Military Health Research Center (CRESAR) in Cameroon and MOSAIC has been actively engaged in environmental surveillance of Mpox in the Mfou National Park, located in the Centre Region of Cameroon

This innovative initiative aimed to develop a non-invasive sampling method using food waste left by squirrels to detect Mpox virus presence in these potential reservoirs. Between July 2023 and September 2024, a total of 1,450 samples (fibers and swabs) were collected. Although none tested positive, the project has provided critical data for understanding Mpox virus circulation in natural environments, significantly reinforcing Cameroon’s One Health surveillance strategy.