What is it about?
Mpox is an infectious disease that has raised important public health concerns in Burundi. To help improve prevention efforts, we conducted a nationwide survey to understand what people know about mpox, how they perceive the factors that may increase the risk of infection, and their attitudes towards vaccination. We surveyed 5,313 people aged 15 years and older across Burundi, with 5,177 participants included in the final analysis. Although awareness of mpox was high, important gaps remained in people's knowledge of vaccination. Nearly nine in ten participants had not heard of the mpox vaccine. At the same time, most participants expressed a positive attitude towards vaccination. Radio was the most commonly reported source of information and was also widely trusted. These findings show that awareness of a disease does not necessarily mean that people have all the information they need to protect themselves. Public health communication should therefore provide clear, reliable information about mpox transmission, prevention and vaccination, using trusted channels such as radio and other locally appropriate communication approaches. The study provides evidence to help public health authorities and partners design more effective community engagement and risk communication strategies in Burundi.
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Why is it important?
This study provides nationwide evidence on community knowledge and perceptions of mpox risk factors and vaccine acceptance in Burundi. It highlights an important gap between general awareness of mpox and awareness of the vaccine, while identifying radio as a widely used and trusted communication channel. These findings can help public health authorities and partners tailor risk communication, strengthen community engagement and improve access to reliable information about mpox prevention and vaccination. The results also contribute evidence from Burundi to the wider international discussion on community-centred responses to emerging infectious diseases.
Perspectives
As a public health researcher in Burundi, I believe that effective outbreak response requires more than laboratory diagnosis and surveillance. Understanding what communities know, believe and need is equally important. This study was an opportunity to contribute evidence that can help connect public health interventions with community realities. I hope these findings will support stronger collaboration between researchers, health authorities and communities, and help ensure that risk communication and vaccination strategies are informed by the needs and perspectives of the people they aim to protect.
NEHEMIE NZOYIKORERA
Institut National de Santé Publique du Burundi
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Community knowledge and perceptions of social, ecological, and behavioural risk factors for mpox in Burundi: A nationwide cross-sectional survey, PLOS Global Public Health, October 2026, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0007383.
You can read the full text:
Resources
Genomic monitoring and tracking of mpox virus clade Ib in Burundi between july to september 2024
This study uses whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of 98 mpox virus genomes to investigate the introduction, spread and evolution of clade Ib in Burundi during the first three months of the outbreak. The findings indicate sustained transmission within Burundi, following several possible introductions from South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. This genomic study complements our research on community knowledge, risk perceptions and vaccine acceptance by providing evidence on the molecular epidemiology of the outbreak.
Community perceptions and health-seeking behaviour towards mpox during an outbreak in Burundi: a qualitative socio-ecological analysis
This qualitative study explores community perceptions of mpox and health-seeking behaviours during the outbreak in Burundi. Using a socio-ecological approach, it examines how individual knowledge and beliefs, social relationships, community influences and broader health-system factors shape responses to mpox. The findings highlight the importance of addressing community concerns, strengthening trust in health services and adapting risk communication to local contexts. The study provides evidence to support more effective community engagement, early care-seeking and public health interventions during mpox outbreaks.
Contributors
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