Cocirculation of Human Monkeypox Virus Clade 1b with Varicella Zoster Virus, Uganda

In July 2024, the first human monkeypox cases were reported in Uganda. By the end of May 2025, 6,479 confirmed cases including 44 deaths had been reported. A research team analyzed 1,072 samples from patients with suspected monkeypox collected from July to December 2024, of which 193 persons tested positive for monkeypox virus. Genomic characterization revealed cocirculation of multiple monkeypox virus clade 1b clusters with varicella zoster virus, which causes chickenpox. Confirmed monkeypox cases consisted of 48.7% males and 51.3% females, occurring primarily in persons aged 16-30 years. The findings highlight the need to improve differential diagnosis using molecular techniques and strengthen epidemiological surveillance.