A rapidly developing outbreak of clade Ib mpox among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men associated with severe proctitis, Northern Ireland, June 2026
We describe a rapidly expanding clade Ib mpox outbreak among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Northern Ireland. Following 12 months with no detected mpox cases, 22 confirmed cases were notified between 6 and 30 June 2026. Cases had a median age of 41 years; 19 had not travelled outside the United Kingdom or Ireland in the 21 days before symptom onset. The outbreak is characterised by severe anorectal disease and presentation to non-sexual health settings, including secondary care.
Authors
- Nuala Cavanagh
- Abbie Harrison (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7435-9994)
- Susan Feeney (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6514-5129)
- Corey Magee
- Monica Sloan
- Declan Bradley
- Bill Gibson
- Stephen Megarity
- Melissa Perry
- Catherine Burns (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7533-238X)
- P Naughton (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7115-4283)
- Joy Murphy
- Laura McCartney
- Eoin Walker
- Kathy Li
- John White
- Maeve Middleton
- Emma McCarty
- Rachel Coyle
Institutions
- Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (GB)
- Northern Health and Social Care Trust (GB)
- Western Health and Social Care Trust (GB)
- Public Health Agency (GB)
- Southern Health and Social Care Trust (GB)
- South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Eurosurveillance
- Published
- 2026-07-30
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.es.2026.31.30.2600604
- Primary Topic
- Poxvirus research and outbreaks
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00