Clade-specific ophthalmic manifestations of mpox: an umbrella review and meta-analysis of systematic reviews.

BACKGROUND

On 14 August 2024, the WHO redesignated Monkeypox (mpox) as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Ocular disease is under-recognised and can cause irreversible vision loss. Clarifying its burden, clade-specific patterns and HIV-related risks is essential for clinical care and public health.

METHODS

We conducted an umbrella review and meta-analysis, systematically searching PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library from inception to September 2025. Eligible studies were systematic reviews reporting ophthalmic manifestations in laboratory-confirmed mpox cases, stratified by viral clades I, II and IIb. Pooled proportions were estimated using random-effects meta-analysis, with clade-stratified subgroup analyses. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251137180).

RESULTS

Five systematic reviews (36 primary studies; 28 139 patients) were included. The pooled proportion of conjunctivitis was 8.9% (95% CI 4.8 to 13.9), highest in clade I (21.9%) and lowest in clade IIb (2.7%). Keratitis (1.5%), eyelid lesions (3.3%), conjunctival lesions (8.4%) and corneal ulceration (3.3%) varied by clade. Visual impairment occurred in 4.5% overall; unilateral (0.9%) and bilateral (0.4%) blindness were reported only with clade I. Across reviews, people living with advanced HIV experienced disproportionately higher rates of severe and persistent ocular complications than HIV-negative individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

Mpox-related ophthalmic disease can cause substantial-and potentially preventable-visual disability. Clade I infection is associated with a greater burden of ocular complications than clade II-particularly IIb. Improved access to eye health services, early recognition and integration of HIV and mpox care are critical to reducing vision loss, especially in resource-limited settings.