Post-Mpox Side Effects Persisted More Than a Year After Acute Infection
January 19, 2026
Mpox continues to be framed as a short-lived illness, but growing evidence suggests otherwise. Findings published in Annals of Internal Medicine show that more than half of patients experienced persistent physical, functional, or psychosocial effects more than a year after clade II infection. Scarring, anorectal and urinary symptoms, depression, and social disruption were common even after clinically mild disease. These data challenge assumptions that recovery ends with lesion resolution and point to the need for longer-term clinical follow-up and supportive care for people recovering from mpox.
The prevailing view of mpox as a self-limited infection in immunocompetent individuals is increasingly difficult to sustain. A cohort study reported in Annals of Internal Medicine documents that a majority of patients with clade II mpox continued to experience physical, behavioral, or psychosocial sequelae more than a year after acute illness.
More than half of participants reported persistent effects, most commonly scarring or skin discoloration. These outcomes were not trivial. Lesions that were larger, merged, or complicated by bacterial superinfection were more likely to result in lasting damage, suggesting missed opportunities for early intervention. The authors’ call for earlier dermatology consultation reflects an important shift toward mitigating long-term harm rather than merely resolving acute symptoms.
Functional complications were also notable. Ongoing anorectal and urinary dysfunction affected a meaningful subset of patients, underscoring that mpox can disrupt basic bodily functions long after viral clearance. These findings challenge the notion that clade II infections are uniformly mild in their consequences, even when acute disease does not require hospitalization.
Equally concerning were the psychosocial impacts. Nearly half of patients reported increased depressive symptoms or diminished pleasure in daily activities, while many experienced ongoing social and sexual difficulties. Employment disruption and mpox-related stigma further illustrate how the burden of infection extends into economic and social domains. These outcomes were not explained by HIV status, housing instability, or race and ethnicity, indicating that long-term sequelae cut across demographic and clinical categories.
Vaccination and antiviral treatment were not associated with persistent sequelae in this study, but this should not be interpreted as diminishing their value. As Jason Zucker of Columbia University noted, vaccination remains essential for reducing the risk and severity of acute disease and may still play a role in lowering long-term burden at the population level.
Taken together, these findings argue for a broader conception of mpox care. Surveillance and vaccination are necessary but insufficient. Long-term monitoring, mental health screening, and stigma-aware support should become routine components of mpox recovery and preparedness planning.