People can catch monkeypox by coming in contact with infected animals or animal products, including by preparing wild game or being bitten or scratched by an animal, according to the CDC. Experts believe human-to-human transmission of monkeypox occurs primarily through large respiratory droplets.
Most outbreaks of monkeypox have occurred in Africa, with the first human case recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A U.S. outbreak of monkeypox occurred in 2003, after the virus spread from imported African rodents to pet prairie dogs, resulting in 47 reported cases.
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