From Entry to Evasion: A Comprehensive Analysis of Host-Virus Interactions for Monkeypox

Abstract Monkeypox (Mpox) has posed a novel challenge and emerged as a threat to global public health since the onset of its outbreak in 2022. Mpox is spreading throughout the world in both endemic and non-endemic countries, indicating that its behavior is evolving. The prevalence of Mpox and the risk of a global pandemic necessitate a better understanding of Mpox virus replications and interactions with the host. Here, we attempted to provide a detailed comprehensive review of Mpox virus behavior at the molecular level from the entry level to the establishment of a successful infection, including attachment and entry, DNA replication, protein expression, and viron assembly and egress. This review also describes its strategies to evade host immune responses and inhibit apoptosis, and uncovers underlying molecular mechanisms such as subverted signaling pathways and cellular factors behind host-viral interactions.