Post-Mpox Sequelae Persist 11 to 18 Months After Acute Illness
January 27, 2026
Mpox recovery is proving far less straightforward than once assumed. Findings published in Annals of Internal Medicine show that more than half of patients continued to experience physical or functional sequelae up to 18 months after acute infection. Persistent scarring and ongoing anorectal or urinary dysfunction were common, even when psychosocial symptoms resembled those of at-risk but uninfected individuals. These data reinforce that mpox is not always a short-lived illness. Long-term follow-up and integrated care should be considered routine components of mpox management, not exceptional measures.
Growing evidence continues to challenge the notion that mpox is a self-limited disease with few lasting consequences. A cohort study published in Annals of Internal Medicine documents that post-mpox sequelae remain frequent more than a year after acute infection, even among patients engaged in regular clinical care.
Researchers led by Preetam A. Cholli of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention followed adults diagnosed with mpox during the 2022 to 2023 outbreak and compared them with individuals at similar risk who were never infected. While increases in psychobehavioral symptoms were broadly comparable between groups, physical outcomes told a different story. Nearly six in ten post-mpox participants reported at least one persistent sequela up to 18 months later.
Most lingering effects involved appearance, particularly scarring, often limited to one or two body sites but nonetheless enduring. More concerning were functional sequelae reported by over one in ten patients, including ongoing anorectal and urinary dysfunction. These findings underscore that mpox can disrupt basic bodily functions long after viral clearance, even when the acute illness has resolved without severe complications.
The study’s context matters. Participants were recruited from HIV, preexposure prophylaxis, and sexually transmitted infection clinics, settings where patients are typically engaged in ongoing care. Persistent sequelae in this population suggest that long-term impacts are not simply artifacts of poor access to follow-up or unmanaged comorbidities.
Taken together, these results argue for a broader clinical framework for mpox. Surveillance and vaccination remain critical, but they do not address the needs of those already infected. Clinicians should anticipate prolonged recovery trajectories, screen for functional impairment, and offer referrals to dermatologic, urologic, colorectal, and supportive services as needed. Mpox preparedness must now include not only prevention of infection, but recognition and management of its long-term consequences.