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Vaccinia Virus Infection & Temporal Analysis of Virus Gene Expression: Part 1
Published on: April 8, 2009
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Molecular evolution of the human monkeypox virus
Jonas Michel Wolf1, Lucas Michel Wolf2, Pamela Pereira Fagundes3
1Clinical Practice Management and Health Value Office, Medical Manager at Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Journal of Medical Virology
|January 28, 2023
Summary
The human monkeypox virus (hMPXV) molecular evolution reveals clade B.1 is responsible for the 2022 global outbreak. This clade, originating from clade A.1.1 in North America, spread rapidly worldwide from West Africa.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The 2022 global resurgence of human monkeypox virus (hMPXV) cases in Europe and North America marked a significant public health event.
- hMPXV classification includes five main clades: 1A, A.1, A.2, A.1.1, and B.1, with clade B.1 emerging as the dominant strain in the recent outbreak.
- Understanding the molecular evolution of hMPXV is crucial for tracking its spread and developing effective control strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and summarize the molecular evolution of hMPXV, focusing on the evolutionary pathways of its main clades.
- To determine the evolutionary relationships and origins of circulating hMPXV clades using genomic data.
- To identify the specific clade responsible for the recent widespread global transmission.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 442 whole-genome sequences of hMPXV with available country and sampling date information (October 2017–2022).
- Application of Bayesian phylogenetic methods to evaluate sequence data and infer evolutionary history.
- Determination of nucleotide divergence and time to the Most Recent Common Ancestor (tMRCA) for key clades.
Main Results:
- Clade B.1 was the most frequent (93.9%) in the analyzed dataset, indicating its dominance in the current outbreak.
- The common ancestor of hMPXV belongs to clade 1A, originating in West Africa around April 2017.
- Subsequent clades (A.1, A.2, A.1.1) emerged with distinct origins and spread patterns, with A.1.1 being the precursor to the globally spreading B.1 clade.
Conclusions:
- Clade B.1 is directly responsible for the recent widespread global transmission of hMPXV.
- The evolutionary trajectory traces back to West Africa, with significant diversification and spread facilitated by specific clades.
- The lack of publicly available immunization highlights the urgent need for vaccine development to contain future hMPXV spread.
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