Factors of the occurrence of Mpox in the Kokolo Military Health Zone, in Kinshasa, DRC, from January to December 2025

Introduction Mpox constitutes a growing global public health concern, particularly in Central Africa. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the incidence has increased, with human-to-human and even sexual transmission. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with the occurrence of Mpox in Kinshasa, in a military Health Zone. Methods An unmatched case-control study was conducted from January to December 2025. The case was defined as any person with a positive PCR; the controls were selected from the neighborhood of the case and had not been affected by Mpox. Data were collected from 192 cases and 576 controls using a questionnaire via KoboCollect. Statistical analyses were performed with Epi Info 7.2.6.0. Results The male sex was predominant (60.9%), young (major age group 15-29 years 76 or 39.6%, median age 19 years). The predominant symptoms were rash (99.5%), fever (95.3%), and physical asthenia (87.5%). The notion of mutation or recent travel (OR=1.40; 95% CI: 1.13-2.09), physical contact with a patient (OR=3.92; 95% CI: 2.84-4.96), having a pre-existing chronic pathology (OR=1.95; 95% CI: 1.24-2.41), sleeping in the same bed as a patient (OR=1.53; 95% CI: 1.14-2.29), washing the clothes of a Mpox patient (OR=1.77; 95% CI: 1.32-2.98) or wearing them (OR=2.27; 95% CI: 1.55-3.69), kissing the patient (OR=2.65; 95% CI: 1.46-3.73), eating/drinking with a Mpox case (OR=1.66; 95% CI: 1.19-2.28), helping the patient to eat (OR=1.68; 95% CI: 1.13-2.60) or to urinate (OR=2.11; 95% CI: 1.47-3.34), having sex with a casual partner (OR=3.41; 95% CI: 2.85-4.22), and being in contact with sick or dead animals (OR=1.54; 95% CI: 1.16-3.26) were factors associated with the occurrence of Mpox. Conclusion The transmission of Mpox in the DRC appears to be dominated by intrafamilial contacts, reinforcing the hypothesis of a now primarily human-to-human dynamic. The results highlight the need to strengthen community communication, surveillance, and access to care, particularly in rural areas.