Objective To analyze the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients with monkeypox. Methods Data of 17 patients with monkeypox hospitalized in a hospital in Nanning City from July to October 2023 were collected retrospectively. The epidemiological history, clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, treatment and prognosis were analyzed and summarized. Results All 17 patients were male, with a median age of 28 years old. Fifteen (88.2%) patients were men who had sex with men (MSM) within 21 days prior to onset. Major clinical manifestations were rash and fever. Rashes distributed mainly in the anus, perineum and genitals (82.4%), followed by the trunk and limbs (52.9%), head and face (35.3%), while soles and palms were rare. Some patients had swollen inguinal lymph nodes. All patients were discharged from hospital after improvement, with an average hospital stay of 7 days. Conclusion The monkeypox epidemic in Nanning area of Guangxi occurs mainly in MSM population, with fever and rashes as the major symptoms. All patients have mild disease and good prognosis.