Monkeypox emerges on a global scale: A historical review and dermatologic primer

The current monkeypox outbreak reawakens the concern that poxviridae have a high potential for zoonotic spillover and causing a pandemic. Much fieldwork and research have been done by health care and public health workers in Africa during previous human outbreaks, and their knowledge should inform our global response to the current outbreak. However, unusual clinical presentations now have potential implications for recognizing the disease. In addition, infections from poxviridae, such as monkeypox, have common cutaneous signs that occur early, may be related to periods of transmissibility, and can leave scarring. Therefore, dermatologists will play a key role in recognizing and diagnosing infections and educating and preparing frontline health care workers for the early detection of new cases and clusters of monkeypox.