Which animals were involved in the initial entry of monkeypox into the United States via smuggling and sale at swap meets?

• A. Gambian Pouched Rats And Prairie Dogs Smuggled Into The U.S. And Sold At A Variety Of Pet Swap Meets
• B. Gambian Pouched Rats Smuggled Into The U.S.
• C. Prairie Dogs Smuggled Into The U.S.
• D. Domestic Cats In Pet Stores

Answer: (A)

The situation tests how monkeypox first entered the United States through the exotic pet trade. Gambian pouched rats were smuggled into the U.S., and some of these infected rats came into contact with prairie dogs. The prairie dogs were then sold as pets at various swap meets, spreading the virus to humans who handled or kept them. That chain—Gambian pouched rats introduced into the country and transmitting the virus to prairie dogs sold at swap meets—best explains the initial entry. The other choices each point to only one species or to animals not involved in the initial importation and spread, so they don’t fit the documented transmission pathway.