[Comment] Integrating research into surveillance: enhancing the response to mpox

The retrospective observational study reported by Emile Malembi and colleagues in The Lancet1 provides a comprehensive clinical description of mpox cases caused by ongoing outbreaks in the DR Congo, the first country to report on the emergence of monkeypox virus clade 1b.2,3 The authors aimed to understand differences between the recent outbreak (January–August, 2024) and endemic outbreaks in DR Congo, reporting on the demographic, clinical, and exposure characteristics of individuals with mpox, including type of exposure and province of residence.