Illustration of a monkeypox, or mpox, virus particle (top right) binding to a human cell. Receptors in the mpox envelope bind to glycosaminoglycans (GAGS, feather-like) in the human cell membrane. This virus, which is found near rainforests in Central and West Africa causes disease in humans and monkeys, although its natural hosts are rodents. It is capable of human to human transmission. In humans it causes fever, swollen glands and a rash of fluid-filled blisters. It is fatal in 10 per cent of cases.