A True Story From the United States, 2003

In spring 2003, the United States had the first mpox outbreak ever recorded outside Africa. It did not start with a traveller. It started with pets in a shop.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) summarizes what happened: Source: US CDC

• A shipment of about 800 small mammals of 9 species, including six types of rodent, was imported from Ghana to Texas.
• Some of the infected animals were housed near prairie dogs at an animal vendor in Illinois.
• The prairie dogs were sold as pets before they showed signs of illness.
• There were 47 confirmed and probable cases in six states: Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin.
• No infections were attributed solely to person-to-person contact.

US agencies responded by tracking potentially infected animals, tracing contacts, issuing guidance for veterinarians and animal handlers, and banning the import, interstate transport, sale and release of certain rodents. The ban on importing African rodents remains in force today.

Why This Still Matters Today

Mpox is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can pass from animals to people. The name comes from its first discovery in laboratory monkeys, but the animals that carry it in nature are mostly rodents.

Thailand has many animal businesses: pet shops, animal markets, exotic breeding farms, animal cafés, veterinary clinics and hospitals, and zoos. Meanwhile, the DDC reports 470 mpox cases and 3 deaths in Thailand in 2026 up to 31 October. Source: Hfocus, 3 Nov 2026

Most Thai cases come from person-to-person spread, but the 2003 outbreak proves the animal route is real, especially when many species from many sources are kept together.

Risk Points in Animal Businesses

• Cages and pens placed side by side, with new and existing animals close together.
• Cage liners, sawdust and bedding material.
• Food bowls, water bottles and tools shared across cages.
• Staff hands handling several animals in a row.
• Examination tables in vet clinics and recovery cages.
• Customer petting areas in cafés and shops.
• Animal transport vehicles.

The Damage a Business Could Suffer

• Customers and their families falling ill after buying or touching an animal.
• Orders banning sale or movement of animals, as in the US in 2003.
• Quarantine or culling of potentially infected animals.
• Reputational damage in pet-owner communities, where news spreads fast on social media.
• Occupational risk for staff.

What Many Shops Do, and Why It Is Not Enough

• Rinsing cages with plain water and reusing them immediately.
• One cloth for several cages.
• Putting new animals straight in with others, with no quarantine period.
• No handwashing point between handling different animals.
• Dry sweeping sawdust and bedding, which stirs up dust; the US CDC advises against dry cleaning methods in potentially contaminated areas. Source: US CDC

Good Practice for Pet Shops, Farms and Vet Clinics

1. Buy animals from legal sources with import and health documents, and follow the rules of the Department of Livestock Development and, for wildlife, the Department of National Parks.
2. Quarantine new animals in a separate area before mixing them with others.
3. Never place cages of animals from different sources side by side.
4. Staff wear gloves when handling animals, cleaning cages or dealing with sick animals, and wash hands every time.
5. Keep equipment separate per cage: bowls, bottles and brushes.
6. Clean wet, then disinfect cages, floors and tables with a product labeled to kill viruses, using its full contact time, and rinse before animals return if the label requires it.
7. Call a vet immediately if an animal has bumps, sores, discharge or lethargy.
8. Disinfect the whole shop on a schedule, when animals can be moved out of the area.

Prevention Through Disinfection Service and Chemgene HLD4H

The mpox virus is an enveloped virus, the type that suitable disinfectants can inactivate when used correctly and given the full contact time.

World Health Disinfection offers animal businesses two options:

1. Professional disinfection spraying. ULV equipment spreads a fine mist across the whole area. Under our service process, spaces can be used about 30 minutes after spraying, and our service page describes the process as safe for people and pets when followed correctly. See the disinfection service

2. CHEMGENE HLD4H for everyday use. A concentrated disinfectant imported from the United Kingdom. According to product information, it references testing to the European virucidal standard EN 14476, and it suits wiping cages, exam tables and equipment during the day. See Chemgene HLD4H

Ten reasons animal businesses choose WHD:

1. Whole-area spraying and spot wiping from one brand.
2. European-standard disinfectant, referencing EN 14476 per product information.
3. ULV mist reaches cage corners and shelving.
4. Fast return to use, about 30 minutes after spraying.
5. Suits vet clinics and animal hospitals, including exam rooms and recovery cages.
6. Reduces risk for staff who handle animals daily.
7. Works for quarantine areas for new animals.
8. Reassures customers who bring in or buy animals.
9. Tax invoices for juristic persons.
10. More than five years of experience.

Before and After

Before

• New and existing animals' cages side by side.
• Cages rinsed with plain water.
• Staff handle several animals without washing hands.
• No plan for a sick animal.

After

• A quarantine area for new animals.
• Cages and equipment disinfected with Chemgene HLD4H for the full contact time.
• The shop disinfected on schedule.
• Staff and customers feel confident.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can household pets catch mpox? The 2003 outbreak showed that some rodents can be infected. If an animal has unusual bumps or sores, take it to a vet.

What if a pet owner has mpox? They should avoid close contact with pets while they have lesions, and seek advice from a doctor and a vet.

Is the disinfectant harmful to animals? Follow the label, move animals out during spraying, and rinse or wipe surfaces animals lick or eat from as directed.

How often should we spray? Shops that take in new animals often should have a regular schedule, and spray every time there is a sick animal.

Sources and Related Links

• WHD disinfection spraying service
• Chemgene HLD4H disinfectant
• World Health Disinfection homepage
• US CDC: US mpox cases before 2022
• Hfocus: Thailand's 2026 situation

A Lesson From 23 Years Ago That Still Applies

The prairie dog outbreak of 2003 showed how a virus can travel from imported animals, across cages in a shop, and into customers' homes. Animal businesses with quarantine, cleaning and proper disinfection protect animals, staff and customers alike.

Protect your business with the disinfection spraying service from World Health Disinfection and Chemgene HLD4H for daily disinfection.

Call 065-556-6294 or add LINE @whd268 for a quotation.

Call 065-556-6294 | LINE: @whd268