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A tale of two clades: monkeypox viruses
Anna M Likos1, Scott A Sammons1, Victoria A Olson1
1National Center for Infectious Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop G43, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
The Journal of General Virology
|September 28, 2005
Summary
Human monkeypox (MPXV) disease severity differs between strains. Genomic analysis revealed two MPXV clades, explaining variations in human pathogenicity and informing prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Epidemiology
- Genomics
Background:
- Human monkeypox (MPXV) was first identified outside Africa in the USA in 2003, linked to imported rodents.
- The disease presentation in the USA appeared milder compared to that observed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare clinical, laboratory, and epidemiological features of human MPXV cases from USA and Congo Basin outbreaks.
- To investigate the association between viral strains and observed differences in human disease pathogenicity.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of clinical, laboratory, and epidemiological data from human MPXV case-patients.
- Genomic sequencing of MPXV isolates from the USA, Western Africa, and Central Africa.
- Comparison of open reading frames (ORFs) between MPXV clades.
Main Results:
- Human MPXV disease pathogenicity was associated with specific viral strains.
- Genomic sequencing confirmed two distinct MPXV clades.
- ORF comparison identified potential viral proteins responsible for pathogenicity differences between clades.
Conclusions:
- The existence of two MPXV clades explains variations in human disease severity.
- Understanding molecular pathogenesis and viral properties is crucial for MPXV prevention and control.