• Monkeypox Case Definitions | Monkeypox | CDC (September 12, 2024)
• Monkeypox in Animals and Pets
• Previous human case definition (prior to August 1, 2022)

• Notifying DSHS of Monkeypox-Positive Cases and Submitting Specimens to DSHS Laboratory for Sequencing
  (November 2025)
• DSHS Monkeypox Laboratory Testing Guidance for Animal Clinical Specimens
• (November 2025)
• DSHS Monkeypox Laboratory Testing Guidance for Human Clinical Specimens
  (November 2025)

• DSHS Patient Under Investigation Form: For use by health departments while investigating a suspected monkeypox case (November 2025)
• CDC Monkeypox Case Investigation Form: For use by health departments to report completed investigations for confirmed and probable monkeypox cases to DSHS (September 2025)

• Monkeypox Guidance (November 2025)
• Monkeypox Exposure Risk Assessment Form (November 2025)

• Monkeypox Data Entry Guide (August 2022)

Monkeypox is a reportable condition in Texas. Because of the differences between clade I and clade II monkeypox virus, additional clarification is provided below on the reporting requirements for probable and confirmed cases of monkeypox, as well as guidance for suspected cases.

Suspected Cases

• Suspected cases of clade I monkeypox should be immediately reported to the appropriate local or regional health department in which the patient resides to consider testing for clade I monkeypox virus.
  • Clade I monkeypox should be suspected in a patient with clinically compatible illness that, within the past 21 days, traveled to a country with ongoing human-to-human transmission of clade I monkeypox or reported close or intimate in-person contact with a clade I monkeypox case.
• Suspected cases of clade II monkeypox should be reported within 1 week.

Probable and Confirmed Cases

• Probable and confirmed cases of clade I monkeypox should be immediately reported to the appropriate local or regional health department.
• Probable and confirmed cases of clade II monkeypox should be reported within 1 week.

Because Clade I-specific testing is not readily available, local and regional health departments must work with clinicians in their jurisdiction to coordinate testing with DSHS and the CDC. There are two broad categories for approaching Clade I MPXV testing:

1. Testing for a new suspect case of monkeypox possibly caused by Clade I MPXV (as indicated by travel history).
2. Public health follow-up of close contacts of a confirmed monkeypox case caused by Clade I MPXV or retesting of a confirmed case caused by Clade I MPXV.