For decades, scientists have unsuccessfully tried to identify which animal spreads mpox. However, it wasn’t until recently that a group of researchers came close to an answer: fire-footed squirrels. These small rodents, common in West and Central Africa, appear to carry the virus without becoming ill themselves. This breakthrough discovery was made in 2023 by scientists studying a group of mangabey monkeys. During their research, they observed a female monkey contracting the virus after eating a rope squirrel. She later transmitted it to her troop, resulting in five deaths. DNA evidence confirmed the squirrel as the source, shedding new light on mpox transmission. But while experts are excited, they stress the need for more research to confirm the squirrels as the virus’s primary reservoir.
