Scientists who have monitored numerous outbreaks of monkeypox in Africa say they are baffled by the disease’s recent spread in Europe and North America.

LONDON -- Scientists who have monitored numerous outbreaks of monkeypox in Africa say they are baffled by the disease's recent spread in Europe and North America.

Cases of the smallpox-related disease have previously been seen only among people with links to central and West Africa.

“This is not the kind of spread we’ve seen in West Africa, so there may be something new happening in the West,” he said.

and Europe have been in young men with no history of travel to Africa and who were gay, bisexual or had sex with men.

Scientists said that while it's possible the outbreak's first patient caught the disease while in Africa, what's happening now is exceptional.

Happi also pointed out that the suspension of smallpox vaccination campaigns after the disease was eradicated in 1980 might inadvertently be helping monkeypox spread.

“Aside from people in west and Central Africa who may have some immunity to monkeypox from past exposure, not having any smallpox vaccination means nobody has any kind of immunity to monkeypox,” Happi said.

“In Africa, there have been very controlled and infrequent outbreaks of monkeypox.