{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,13]],"date-time":"2025-12-13T23:10:19Z","timestamp":1765667419101,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,1]],"date-time":"2022-11-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1667260800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pathogens"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In the course of 2022, an epidemic of monkeypox (MPX) arose worldwide. In order to assess the level of knowledge of the Italian adults regarding the new emerging disease, its prevention and their level of worrying and the acceptance of a possible vaccination, a web questionnaire was spread nationwide. A total of 1352 individuals (mean age 54.5 \u00b1 13.4, 52.4% males) completed the questionnaire. Only 26. 7% of the sample were aware of the burden of the epidemic at the moment of the investigation; 47.1% were not able to identify the transmission route, nor the main symptoms (48.9%); and 54.2% were hesitant toward a possible MPXV vaccination, mainly because of a lack of confident in vaccines (38.5%). A low level of worrying about the disease was registered (mean score 2.3 \u00b1 1.2 on a 5-point scale). In the regression analysis performed considering MPX knowledge as outcome, a lower level of knowledge was associated with higher age (OR 1.378, CI95% 0.998\u20131.904), working or studying in a nonhealthcare setting (OR 0.046, CI95% 0.033\u20130.066), being single (OR 0.624, CI95% 0.455\u20130.856) and having mass media as the main source of information (OR 0.332, CI95% 0.158\u20130.696). These findings indicate as of the time of this investigation, the communication about the MPXV epidemic was not effective in determining a good level of knowledge about the disease and its transmission among Italian adults. This highlights the need to improve risk communication strategies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens11111285","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,2]],"date-time":"2022-11-02T03:36:44Z","timestamp":1667360204000},"page":"1285","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":31,"title":["\u201cMonkeypox: What Do You Know about That?\u201d Italian Adults\u2019 Awareness of a New Epidemic"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0504-9562","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francesca","family":"Gall\u00e8","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, University of Naples \u201cParthenope\u201d, Via Medina 40, 80133 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lavinia","family":"Bianco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, \u201cSapienza\u201d University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Giovanna","family":"Da Molin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Inter-University Research Centre \u201cPopulation, Environment and Health\u201d, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Cesare Battisti 1, 70121 Bari, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rita","family":"Mancini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035\/1039, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1492-5365","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Salvatore","family":"Sciacchitano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035\/1039, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1150-1460","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stefano","family":"Ferracuti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Human Neuroscience, \u201cSapienza\u201d University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Giorgio","family":"Liguori","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, University of Naples \u201cParthenope\u201d, Via Medina 40, 80133 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9246-6216","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giovanni Battista","family":"Orsi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, \u201cSapienza\u201d University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5775-2276","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christian","family":"Napoli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, \u201cSapienza\u201d University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035\/1039, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"WHO (2022, September 16). Available online: https:\/\/www.who.int\/director-general\/speeches\/detail\/who-director-general-s-statement-on-the-press-conference-following-IHR-emergency-committee-regarding-the-multi--country-outbreak-of-monkeypox--23-july-2022."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106712","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijsu.2022.106712","article-title":"The 2022 monkeypox outbreak: Lessons from the 640 cases in 36 countries","volume":"104","author":"Rahimi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Surg."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"84","DOI":"10.1186\/s40249-022-01007-6","article-title":"Monkeypox claims new victims: The outbreak in men who have sex with men","volume":"11","author":"Liu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Infect. Dis. Poverty"},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"WHO (2022, October 26). Multi-Country Outbreak of Monkeypox; External Situation Report 8. Available online: https:\/\/www.who.int\/publications\/m\/item\/multi-country-outbreak-of-monkeypox--external-situation-report--8---19-october-2022."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"Rimoin, A.W., Doshi, R.H., Hoff, N.A., and Heymann, D.L. (2022, October 03). Smallpox and Other Poxvirus Diseases. Available online: https:\/\/ccdm.aphapublications.org\/doi\/10.2105\/CCDM.2745.132."},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"WHO (2022, September 20). Monkeypox. Available online: https:\/\/www.who.int\/health-topics\/monkeypox#tab=tab_1."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Alshahrani, N.Z., Alzahrani, F., Alarifi, A.M., Algethami, M.R., Alhumam, M.N., Ayied, H.A.M., Awan, A.Z., Almutairi, A.F., Bamakhrama, S.A., and Almushari, B.S. (2022). Assessment of Knowledge of Monkeypox Viral Infection among the General Population in Saudi Arabia. Pathogens, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens11080904"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rodriguez-Morales, A.J., and Lopardo, G. (2022). Monkeypox: Another Sexually Transmitted Infection?. Pathogens, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens11070713"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"764","DOI":"10.1136\/jnnp-2020-322850","article-title":"Diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of hemiplegic migraine","volume":"91","author":"Rispoli","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ricc\u00f2, M., Ferraro, P., Camisa, V., Satta, E., Zaniboni, A., Ranzieri, S., Baldassarre, A., Zaffina, S., and Marchesi, F. (2022). When a Neglected Tropical Disease Goes Global: Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Italian Physicians towards Monkeypox, Preliminary Results. Trop. Med. Infect. Dis., 7.","DOI":"10.3390\/tropicalmed7070135"},{"key":"ref_11","first-page":"1","article-title":"Post-pandemic world at the mercy of monkeypox virus outbreak: Time to worry or not?","volume":"22","author":"Taseen","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Med. Virol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102426","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tmaid.2022.102426","article-title":"Monkeypox caused less worry than COVID-19 among the general population during the first month of the WHO Monkeypox alert: Experience from Saudi Arabia","volume":"49","author":"Temsah","year":"2022","journal-title":"Travel Med. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Barchielli, B., Cricenti, C., Gall\u00e8, F., Sabella, E.A., Liguori, F., Da Molin, G., Liguori, G., Orsi, G.B., Giannini, A.M., and Ferracuti, S. (2022). Climate Changes, Natural Resources Depletion, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Russian-Ukrainian War: What Is the Impact on Habits Change and Mental Health?. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph191911929"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1065","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jiph.2022.08.015","article-title":"Awareness and preparedness of human monkeypox outbreak among university student: Time to worry or one to ignore?","volume":"15","author":"Jairoun","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Infect. Public Health"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sallam, M., Al-Mahzoum, K., Dardas, L.A., Al-Tammemi, A.B., Al-Majali, L., Al-Naimat, H., Jardaneh, L., AlHadidi, F., Al-Salahat, K., and Al-Ajlouni, E. (2022). Knowledge of Human Monkeypox and Its Relation to Conspiracy Beliefs among Students in Jordanian Health Schools: Filling the Knowledge Gap on Emerging Zoonotic Viruses. Medicina, 58.","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina58070924"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.1186\/s41182-022-00459-8","article-title":"Infodemic and the fear of monkeypox: Call for action","volume":"50","author":"Farahat","year":"2022","journal-title":"Trop. Med. Health"},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"WHO (2022, September 26). Multi-Country Outbreak of Monkeypox; External Situation Report. Available online: https:\/\/www.who.int\/publications\/m\/item\/multi-country-outbreak-of-monkeypox--external-situation-report--2---25-july-2022."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gall\u00e8, F., Sabella, E.A., Da Molin, G., De Giglio, O., Caggiano, G., Di Onofrio, V., Ferracuti, S., Montagna, M.T., Liguori, G., and Orsi, G.B. (2020). Understanding Knowledge and Behaviors Related to COVID-19 Epidemic in Italian Undergraduate Students: The EPICO Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17103481"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gall\u00e8, F., Sabella, E.A., Roma, P., De Giglio, O., Caggiano, G., Tafuri, S., Da Molin, G., Fer-Racuti, S., Montagna, M.T., and Liguori, G. (2021). Knowledge and Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination among Undergraduate Students from Central and Southern Italy. Vaccines, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/vaccines9060638"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gall\u00e8, F., Sabella, E.A., Roma, P., Ferracuti, S., Da Molin, G., Diella, G., Montagna, M.T., Orsi, G.B., Liguori, G., and Napoli, C. (2021). Knowledge and Lifestyle Behaviors Related to COVID-19 Pandemic in People over 65 Years Old from Southern Italy. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 18.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph182010872"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gall\u00e8, F., Sabella, E.A., Roma, P., Da Molin, G., Diella, G., Montagna, M.T., Ferracuti, S., Liguori, G., Orsi, G.B., and Napoli, C. (2021). Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination in the Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern Italy. Vaccines, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/vaccines9111222"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gall\u00e9, F., Quaranta, A., Napoli, C., Diella, G., De Giglio, O., Caggiano, G., Di Muzio, M., Stefanizzi, P., Orsi, G.B., and Liguori, G. (2022). How do Vaccinators Experience the Pandemic? Lifestyle Behaviors in a Sample of Italian Public Health Workers during the COVID-19 Era. Vaccines, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/vaccines10020247"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Quaranta, A., Napoli, C., Fasano, F., Montagna, C., Caggiano, G., and Montagna, M.T. (2011). Body piercing and tattoos: A survey on young adults\u2019 knowledge of the risks and practices in body art. BMC Public Health, 11.","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2458-11-774"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ajman, F., Alenezi, S., Alhasan, K., Saddik, B., Alhaboob, A., Altawil, E.S., Alshahrani, F., Alrabiaah, A., Alaraj, A., and Alkriadees, K. (2022). Helathcare Workers\u2019 Worries and Monkeypox Vaccine Advocacy during the First Month of the WHO Monkeypox Alert: Cross-Sectional Survey in Saudia Arabia. Vaccines, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/vaccines10091408"},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"Istat (2022, October 26). Popolazione Residente al 1\u00b0 Gennaio: Per Fascia di Et\u00e0. Available online: http:\/\/dati.istat.it\/Index.aspx?QueryId=42869."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1765","DOI":"10.1086\/498155","article-title":"Reemergence of monkeypox: Prevalence, diagnostics, and countermeasures","volume":"41","author":"Nalca","year":"2005","journal-title":"Clin Infect Dis."}],"container-title":["Pathogens"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-0817\/11\/11\/1285\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T01:08:58Z","timestamp":1760144938000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-0817\/11\/11\/1285"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,1]]},"references-count":26,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,11]]}},"alternative-id":["pathogens11111285"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/pathogens11111285","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-0817"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"2076-0817"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,1]]}}}