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Sudlovenick E, Jenkins E, Loseto L. Comparative review of One Health and Indigenous approaches to wildlife research in Inuit Nunangat. One Health 2024; 19:100846. [PMID: 39091975 PMCID: PMC11292360 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2024.100846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
There is increasing interest in One Health and Indigenous methodologies and approaches in wildlife research, but they are not widely used research applications in the Arctic. Both approaches are wide in scope and originate from different knowledge systems but are often compared synonymously. We review the literature of overlap between the term One Health and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (Inuit Indigenous Knowledge) throughout Inuit Nunaat on wildlife research. Three databases (SCOPUS, Web of Science, and BIOSIS) were used to find English language articles and books within the bounds of Inuit Nunaat. While One Health and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit research approaches share synergies, they are fundamentally disparate owing to their differences in epistemology, including views on the natural environment and wildlife management. We describe current examples of One Health being operationalized in Inuit Nunaat and identify potential to address larger and more complex questions about wildlife health, with examples from terrestrial and marine Arctic wildlife. Both Indigenous methodologies and One Health naturally have a human component at their core, which seamlessly lends itself to discussions on wildlife management, as human actions and regulations directly impact environment and wildlife health.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Sudlovenick
- Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, 500 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - E. Jenkins
- Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, 500 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7H 5B4, Canada
| | - L. Loseto
- Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, 500 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
- Freshwater Institute, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada
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2
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Douglass N. Borealpox (Alaskapox) virus: will there be more emerging zoonotic orthopoxviruses? THE LANCET. MICROBE 2024; 5:100883. [PMID: 38735304 DOI: 10.1016/s2666-5247(24)00106-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Douglass
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, 7925 Cape Town, South Africa.
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3
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Branda F, Romano C, Ciccozzi M, Scarpa F. The emergence of Alaskapox: exploring an unprecedented viral threat and implications for public health. Infect Dis (Lond) 2024; 56:496-498. [PMID: 38520677 DOI: 10.1080/23744235.2024.2332463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Branda
- Unit of Medical Statistics and Molecular Epidemiology, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Romano
- Unit of Medical Statistics and Molecular Epidemiology, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Ciccozzi
- Unit of Medical Statistics and Molecular Epidemiology, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabio Scarpa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
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Hammershaimb EAD, Campbell JD. Vaccine Development. Pediatr Clin North Am 2024; 71:529-549. [PMID: 38754940 DOI: 10.1016/j.pcl.2024.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
This article considers ethical considerations surrounding pediatric vaccine development for pandemic preparedness, examines some historical cases of pediatric vaccines developed during past smallpox, influenza, and 2019 coronavirus disease pandemics, and discusses the current state of vaccine development for pandemic preparedness, including vaccines against smallpox/mpox, influenza, anthrax, and Ebola that are included in the US Strategic National Stockpile and vaccines being developed against priority pathogens identified by the World Health Organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A D Hammershaimb
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 685 West Baltimore Street, Room 480, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - James D Campbell
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 685 West Baltimore Street, Room 480, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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5
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Su C, Li S, Wen Y, Geng X, Yin Q, Wang Y, Xiong Y, Liu Z. A Quadrivalent mRNA Immunization Elicits Potent Immune Responses against Multiple Orthopoxviral Antigens and Neutralization of Monkeypox Virus in Rodent Models. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:385. [PMID: 38675767 PMCID: PMC11053415 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12040385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The global outbreak of the 2022 monkeypox virus infection of humans and the 2023 documentation of a more virulent monkeypox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo raised public health concerns about the threat of human-to-human transmission of zoonotic diseases. Currently available vaccines may not be sufficient to contain outbreaks of a more transmissible and pathogenic orthopoxvirus. Development of a safe, effective, and scalable vaccine against orthopoxviruses to stockpile for future emergencies is imminent. In this study, we have developed an mRNA vaccine candidate, ALAB-LNP, expressing four vaccinia viral antigens A27, L1, A33, and B5 in tandem in one molecule, and evaluated the vaccine immunogenicity in rodent models. Immunization of animals with the candidate mRNA vaccine induced a potent cellular immune response and long-lasting antigen-specific binding antibody and neutralizing antibody responses against vaccinia virus. Strikingly, the sera from the vaccine-immunized mice cross-reacted with all four homologous antigens of multiple orthopoxviruses and neutralized monkeypox virus in vitro, holding promise for this mRNA vaccine candidate to be used for protection of humans from the infection of monkeypox and other orthopoxvirus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caixia Su
- Department of Research and Development, Yither Biotech Co., Ltd., Pudong, Shanghai 200120, China
| | - Sha Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 44 Hongshancelu Avenue, Wuhan 430071, China; (S.L.); (Y.W.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19(A) Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yang Wen
- Department of Research and Development, Yither Biotech Co., Ltd., Pudong, Shanghai 200120, China
| | - Xiya Geng
- Department of Research and Development, Yither Biotech Co., Ltd., Pudong, Shanghai 200120, China
| | - Quanyi Yin
- Department of Research and Development, Yither Biotech Co., Ltd., Pudong, Shanghai 200120, China
| | - Yun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 44 Hongshancelu Avenue, Wuhan 430071, China; (S.L.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yelin Xiong
- Department of Research and Development, Yither Biotech Co., Ltd., Pudong, Shanghai 200120, China
- Ab&B Biotech Co., Ltd., Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Zhihua Liu
- Department of Research and Development, Yither Biotech Co., Ltd., Pudong, Shanghai 200120, China
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Diaz-Cánova D, Moens U, Brinkmann A, Nitsche A, Okeke MI. Whole genome sequencing of recombinant viruses obtained from co-infection and superinfection of Vero cells with modified vaccinia virus ankara vectored influenza vaccine and a naturally occurring cowpox virus. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1277447. [PMID: 38633245 PMCID: PMC11021749 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1277447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) has been widely tested in clinical trials as recombinant vector vaccine against infectious diseases and cancers in humans and animals. However, one biosafety concern about the use of MVA vectored vaccine is the potential for MVA to recombine with naturally occurring orthopoxviruses in cells and hosts in which it multiplies poorly and, therefore, producing viruses with mosaic genomes with altered genetic and phenotypic properties. We previously conducted co-infection and superinfection experiments with MVA vectored influenza vaccine (MVA-HANP) and a feline Cowpox virus (CPXV-No-F1) in Vero cells (that were semi-permissive to MVA infection) and showed that recombination occurred in both co-infected and superinfected cells. In this study, we selected the putative recombinant viruses and performed genomic characterization of these viruses. Some putative recombinant viruses displayed plaque morphology distinct of that of the parental viruses. Our analysis demonstrated that they had mosaic genomes of different lengths. The recombinant viruses, with a genome more similar to MVA-HANP (>50%), rescued deleted and/or fragmented genes in MVA and gained new host ranges genes. Our analysis also revealed that some MVA-HANP contained a partially deleted transgene expression cassette and one recombinant virus contained part of the transgene expression cassette similar to that incomplete MVA-HANP. The recombination in co-infected and superinfected Vero cells resulted in recombinant viruses with unpredictable biological and genetic properties as well as recovery of delete/fragmented genes in MVA and transfer of the transgene into replication competent CPXV. These results are relevant to hazard characterization and risk assessment of MVA vectored biologicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Diaz-Cánova
- Molecular Inflammation Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Ugo Moens
- Molecular Inflammation Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Annika Brinkmann
- WHO Reference Laboratory for SARS-CoV-2 and WHO Collaborating Centre for Emerging Infections and Biological Threats, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Nitsche
- WHO Reference Laboratory for SARS-CoV-2 and WHO Collaborating Centre for Emerging Infections and Biological Threats, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Malachy Ifeanyi Okeke
- Section of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Natural and Environmental Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, American University of Nigeria, Yola, Nigeria
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Subissi L, Stefanelli P, Rezza G. Human mpox: global trends, molecular epidemiology and options for vaccination. Pathog Glob Health 2024; 118:25-32. [PMID: 37715739 PMCID: PMC10769137 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2023.2258641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The eradication of smallpox and the cessation of vaccination have led to the growth of the susceptible human population to poxviruses. This has led to the increasing detection of zoonotic orthopoxviruses. Among those viruses, monkeypox virus (MPV) is the most commonly detected in Western and Central African regions. Since 2022, MPV is causing local transmission in newly affected countries all over the world. While the virus causing the current outbreak remains part of clade II (historically referred to as West African clade), it has a significant number of mutations as compared to other clade II sequences and is therefore referred to as clade IIb. It remains unclear whether those mutations may have caused a change in the virus phenotype. Vaccine effectiveness data show evidence of a high cross-protection of vaccines designed to prevent smallpox against mpox. These vaccines therefore represent a great opportunity to control human-to-human transmission, provided that their availability has short time-frames and that mistakes from the recent past (vaccine inequity) will not be reiterated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Subissi
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Paola Stefanelli
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy
| | - Giovanni Rezza
- Health Prevention Directorate, Ministry of Health, Roma, Italy
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Obermeier PE, Buder SC, Hillen U. Pockenvirusinfektionen in der Dermatologie: Poxvirus infections in dermatology - the neglected, the notable, and the notorious. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges 2024; 22:56-96. [PMID: 38212918 DOI: 10.1111/ddg.15257_g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
ZusammenfassungDie Familie Poxviridae umfasst derzeit 22 Gattungen, die Wirbeltiere infizieren können. Humanpathogene Pockenviren gehören den Gattungen Ortho‐, Para‐, Mollusci‐ und Yatapoxvirus an. Bis zur Eradikation der Variola vera im Jahr 1979 waren die Pocken, im Volksmund auch Blattern genannt, eine schwerwiegende Gesundheitsbedrohung für die Bevölkerung. Noch heute sind Dermatologen mit zahlreichen Pockenvirusinfektionen konfrontiert, wie den Bauernhofpocken, die als Zoonosen nach Tierkontakten in ländlichen Gebieten oder nach Massenversammlungen auftreten können. In den Tropen können Erkrankungen durch Tanapox‐ oder Vaccinia‐Viren zu den Differenzialdiagnosen gehören. Dellwarzen sind weltweit verbreitet und werden in bestimmten Fällen als sexuell übertragbare Pockenvirusinfektion angesehen. In jüngster Zeit hatten sich Mpox (Affenpocken) zu einer gesundheitlichen Notlage von internationaler Tragweite entwickelt, die eine rasche Identifizierung und angemessene Behandlung durch Dermatologen und Infektiologen erfordert. Fortschritte und neue Erkenntnisse über Epidemiologie, Diagnose, klinische Manifestationen und Komplikationen sowie Behandlung und Prävention von Pockenvirusinfektionen erfordern ein hohes Maß an Fachwissen und interdisziplinärer Zusammenarbeit in den Bereichen Virologie, Infektiologie und Dermatologie. Dieser CME‐Artikel bietet einen aktualisierten systematischen Überblick, um praktizierende Dermatologen bei der Identifizierung, Differenzialdiagnose und Behandlung klinisch relevanter Pockenvirusinfektionen zu unterstützen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick E Obermeier
- Klinik für Dermatologie und Venerologie, Vivantes Klinikum Neukölln, Berlin, Deutschland
- Abteilung für Infektionskrankheiten, Vaccine Safety Initiative, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Susanne C Buder
- Klinik für Dermatologie und Venerologie, Vivantes Klinikum Neukölln, Berlin, Deutschland
- Konsiliarlabor für Gonokokken, Fachgebiet Sexuell übertragbare bakterielle Krankheitserreger, Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Uwe Hillen
- Klinik für Dermatologie und Venerologie, Vivantes Klinikum Neukölln, Berlin, Deutschland
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Obermeier PE, Buder SC, Hillen U. Poxvirus infections in dermatology - the neglected, the notable, and the notorious. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges 2024; 22:56-93. [PMID: 38085140 DOI: 10.1111/ddg.15257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
The family Poxviridae currently comprises 22 genera that infect vertebrates. Of these, members of the Ortho-, Para-, Mollusci- and Yatapoxvirus genera have been associated with human diseases of high clinical relevance in dermatology. Historically, smallpox had been a notorious health threat until it was declared eradicated by the World Health Organization in 1979. Today, dermatologists are confronted with a variety of poxviral infections, such as farmyard pox, which occurs as a zoonotic infection after contact with animals. In the tropics, tanapox or vaccinia may be in the differential diagnosis as neglected tropical dermatoses. Molluscum contagiosum virus infection accounts for significant disease burden worldwide and is classified as a sexually transmitted infection in certain scenarios. Recently, mpox (monkeypox) has emerged as a public health emergency of international concern, requiring rapid recognition and appropriate management by dermatologists and infectious disease specialists. Advances and new insights into the epidemiology, diagnosis, clinical manifestations and complications, treatment, and prevention of poxviral infections require a high level of expertise and interdisciplinary skills from healthcare professionals linking virology, infectious diseases, and dermatology. This CME article provides a systematic overview and update to assist the practicing dermatologist in the identification, differential diagnosis, and management of poxviral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick E Obermeier
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Vivantes Hospital Neukölln, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Vaccine Safety Initiative, Berlin, Germany
| | - Susanne C Buder
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Vivantes Hospital Neukölln, Berlin, Germany
- German Reference Laboratory for Gonococci, Unit Sexually Transmitted Bacterial Pathogens, Department for Infectious Diseases, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Uwe Hillen
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Vivantes Hospital Neukölln, Berlin, Germany
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Jhancy M. Poxvirus Vaccines: Past, Present, and Future. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1451:273-287. [PMID: 38801584 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-57165-7_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Smallpox was a significant cause of mortality for over three thousand years, amounting to 10% of deaths yearly. Edward Jenner discovered smallpox vaccination in 1796, which rapidly became a smallpox infection preventive practice throughout the world and eradicated smallpox infection by 1980. After smallpox eradication, monkeypox vaccines have been used primarily in research and in outbreaks in Africa, where the disease is endemic. In the present, the vaccines are being used for people who work with animals or in high-risk areas, as well as for healthcare workers treating patients with monkeypox. Among all orthopoxviruses (OPXV), monkeypox viral (MPXV) infection occurs mainly in cynomolgus monkeys, natural reservoirs, and occasionally causes severe multi-organ infection in humans, who were the incidental hosts. The first case of the present epidemic of MXPV was identified on May 7, 2022, and rapidly increased the number of cases. In this regard, the WHO declared the outbreak, an international public health emergency on July 23, 2022. The first monkeypox vaccine was developed in the 1960s by the US Army and was based on the vaccinia virus, which is also used in smallpox vaccines. In recent years, newer monkeypox vaccines have been developed based on other viruses such as Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA). These newer vaccines are safer and can provide longer-lasting immunity with fewer side effects. For the future, there is ongoing research to improve the current vaccines and to develop new ones. One notable advance has been the development of a recombinant vaccine that uses a genetically modified vaccinia virus to express monkeypox antigens. This vaccine has shown promising results in pre-clinical trials and is currently undergoing further testing in clinical trials. Another recent development has been the use of a DNA vaccine, which delivers genetic material encoding monkeypox antigens directly into cells. This type of vaccine has shown effectiveness in animal studies and is also undergoing clinical testing in humans. Overall, these recent advances in monkeypox vaccine development hold promise for protecting individuals against this potentially serious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malay Jhancy
- RAK College of Medical Sciences, RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, Ras Al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.
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Li Z, Sinha A, Zhang Y, Tanner N, Cheng HT, Premsrirut P, Carlow CKS. Extraction-free LAMP assays for generic detection of Old World Orthopoxviruses and specific detection of Mpox virus. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21093. [PMID: 38036581 PMCID: PMC10689478 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48391-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mpox is a neglected zoonotic disease endemic in West and Central Africa. The Mpox outbreak with more than 90,000 cases worldwide since 2022 generated great concern about future outbreaks and highlighted the need for a simple and rapid diagnostic test. The Mpox virus, MPV, is a member of the Orthopoxvirus (OPV) genus that also contains other pathogenic viruses including variola virus, vaccinia virus, camelpox virus, and cowpox virus. Phylogenomic analysis of 200 OPV genomes identified 10 distinct phylogroups with the New World OPVs placed on a very long branch distant from the Old World OPVs. Isolates derived from infected humans were found to be distributed across multiple phylogroups interspersed with isolates from animal sources, indicating the zoonotic potential of these viruses. In this study, we developed a simple and sensitive colorimetric LAMP assay for generic detection of Old World OPVs. We also developed an MPV-specific probe that differentiates MPV from other OPVs in the N1R LAMP assay. In addition, we described an extraction-free protocol for use directly with swab eluates in LAMP assays, thereby eliminating the time and resources needed to extract DNA from the sample. Our direct LAMP assays are well-suited for low-resource settings and provide a valuable tool for rapid and scalable diagnosis and surveillance of OPVs and MPV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiru Li
- Molecular Genetics and Genomics Division, New England Biolabs, Ipswich, MA, 01938, USA.
| | - Amit Sinha
- Molecular Genetics and Genomics Division, New England Biolabs, Ipswich, MA, 01938, USA
| | - Yinhua Zhang
- Molecular Genetics and Genomics Division, New England Biolabs, Ipswich, MA, 01938, USA
| | - Nathan Tanner
- Molecular Genetics and Genomics Division, New England Biolabs, Ipswich, MA, 01938, USA
| | | | | | - Clotilde K S Carlow
- Molecular Genetics and Genomics Division, New England Biolabs, Ipswich, MA, 01938, USA
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Tseng KK, Koehler H, Becker DJ, Gibb R, Carlson CJ, Fernandez MDP, Seifert SN. Viral genomic features predict orthopoxvirus reservoir hosts. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.26.564211. [PMID: 37961540 PMCID: PMC10634857 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.26.564211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Orthopoxviruses (OPVs), including the causative agents of smallpox and mpox have led to devastating outbreaks in human populations worldwide. However, the discontinuation of smallpox vaccination, which also provides cross-protection against related OPVs, has diminished global immunity to OPVs more broadly. We apply machine learning models incorporating both host ecological and viral genomic features to predict likely reservoirs of OPVs. We demonstrate that incorporating viral genomic features in addition to host ecological traits enhanced the accuracy of potential OPV host predictions, highlighting the importance of host-virus molecular interactions in predicting potential host species. We identify hotspots for geographic regions rich with potential OPV hosts in parts of southeast Asia, equatorial Africa, and the Amazon, revealing high overlap between regions predicted to have a high number of potential OPV host species and those with the lowest smallpox vaccination coverage, indicating a heightened risk for the emergence or establishment of zoonotic OPVs. Our findings can be used to target wildlife surveillance, particularly related to concerns about mpox establishment beyond its historical range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie K. Tseng
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Heather Koehler
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Daniel J. Becker
- Department of Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Rory Gibb
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
- People & Nature Lab, UCL East, University College London, Stratford, London, UK
| | - Colin J. Carlson
- Center for Global Health Science and Security, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Stephanie N. Seifert
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
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13
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Molteni C, Forni D, Cagliani R, Bravo IG, Sironi M. Evolution and diversity of nucleotide and dinucleotide composition in poxviruses. J Gen Virol 2023; 104. [PMID: 37792576 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Poxviruses (family Poxviridae) have long dsDNA genomes and infect a wide range of hosts, including insects, birds, reptiles and mammals. These viruses have substantial incidence, prevalence and disease burden in humans and in other animals. Nucleotide and dinucleotide composition, mostly CpG and TpA, have been largely studied in viral genomes because of their evolutionary and functional implications. We analysed here the nucleotide and dinucleotide composition, as well as codon usage bias, of a set of representative poxvirus genomes, with a very diverse host spectrum. After correcting for overall nucleotide composition, entomopoxviruses displayed low overall GC content, no enrichment in TpA and large variation in CpG enrichment, while chordopoxviruses showed large variation in nucleotide composition, no obvious depletion in CpG and a weak trend for TpA depletion in GC-rich genomes. Overall, intergenome variation in dinucleotide composition in poxviruses is largely accounted for by variation in overall genomic GC levels. Nonetheless, using vaccinia virus as a model, we found that genes expressed at the earliest times in infection are more CpG-depleted than genes expressed at later stages. This observation has parallels in betahepesviruses (also large dsDNA viruses) and suggests an antiviral role for the innate immune system (e.g. via the zinc-finger antiviral protein ZAP) in the early phases of poxvirus infection. We also analysed codon usage bias in poxviruses and we observed that it is mostly determined by genomic GC content, and that stratification after host taxonomy does not contribute to explaining codon usage bias diversity. By analysis of within-species diversity, we show that genomic GC content is the result of mutational biases. Poxvirus genomes that encode a DNA ligase are significantly AT-richer than those that do not, suggesting that DNA repair systems shape mutation biases. Our data shed light on the evolution of poxviruses and inform strategies for their genetic manipulation for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Molteni
- Scientific Institute IRCCS E. MEDEA, Bioinformatics, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Diego Forni
- Scientific Institute IRCCS E. MEDEA, Bioinformatics, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Rachele Cagliani
- Scientific Institute IRCCS E. MEDEA, Bioinformatics, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Ignacio G Bravo
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC (Univ Montpellier CNRS, IRD), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Montpellier, France
| | - Manuela Sironi
- Scientific Institute IRCCS E. MEDEA, Bioinformatics, Bosisio Parini, Italy
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Martínez-Fernández DE, Fernández-Quezada D, Casillas-Muñoz FAG, Carrillo-Ballesteros FJ, Ortega-Prieto AM, Jimenez-Guardeño JM, Regla-Nava JA. Human Monkeypox: A Comprehensive Overview of Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention Strategies. Pathogens 2023; 12:947. [PMID: 37513794 PMCID: PMC10384102 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12070947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is an emerging zoonotic virus that belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus and presents clinical symptoms similar to those of smallpox, such as fever and vesicular-pustular skin lesions. However, the differential diagnosis between smallpox and monkeypox is that smallpox does not cause lymphadenopathy but monkeypox generates swelling in the lymph nodes. Since the eradication of smallpox, MPXV has been identified as the most common Orthopoxvirus to cause human disease. Despite MPXV being endemic to certain regions of Africa, the current MPXV outbreak, which began in early 2022, has spread to numerous countries worldwide, raising global concern. As of the end of May 2023, over 87,545 cases and 141 deaths have been reported, with most cases identified in non-endemic countries, primarily due to human-to-human transmission. To better understand this emerging threat, this review presents an overview of key aspects of MPXV infection, including its animal reservoirs, modes of transmission, animal models, epidemiology, clinical and immunological features, diagnosis, treatments, vaccines, and prevention strategies. The material presented here provides a comprehensive understanding of MPXV as a disease, while emphasizing the significance and unique characteristics of the 2022 outbreak. This offers valuable information that can inform future research and aid in the development of effective interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David Fernández-Quezada
- Department of Neurosciences, University Center for Health Science (CUCS), University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico
| | | | | | - Ana Maria Ortega-Prieto
- Department of Microbiology, University of Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, 29590 Málaga, Spain
| | - Jose M Jimenez-Guardeño
- Department of Microbiology, University of Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, 29590 Málaga, Spain
| | - Jose Angel Regla-Nava
- Department of Microbiology and Pathology, University Center for Health Science (CUCS), University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico
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15
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Leonova GN, Somova LM, Abramova SA, Pustovalov EV. Study of Viral Coinfection of the Ixodes persulcatus Ticks Feeding on Humans in a Natural Focus of the South of the Far East. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1791. [PMID: 37512963 PMCID: PMC10383858 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11071791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The phenomenon of pathogen co-infection detected in a half-fed Ixodes persulcatus tick taken from a human in the south of the Far East was studied. Research was carried out on PEK, Vero, and Vero-E6 cell lines, outbred mice, and chicken embryos using ELISA, PCR, IMFA, plaque formation, and electron microscopy. The tick contained an antigen and a genetic marker of the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). The patient had post-vaccination antibodies in a titer of 1:200, as a result of which, obviously, an antibody-dependent elimination of TBEV occurred. The tick-borne co-isolate also contained an unknown pathogen (Kiparis-144 virus), which, in our opinion, was a trigger for the activation of chronic infection in suckling white mice. In the laboratory co-isolate, ectromelia virus was present, as evidenced by paw edema during the intradermal infection of mice, characteristic rashes on the chorioallantoic envelope of chicken embryos, and typical plaques on Vero-E6. The Kiparis-144 virus was not pathogenic for white mice and chicken embryos, but it successfully multiplied in the PEK, Vero, and Vero-E6 lines. Viral co-infection was confirmed by electron microscopy. Passaging on mice contributed to an increase in the virulence of the co-isolate, whose titer increased by 10,000 times by the fifth passage, which poses an epidemiological danger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galina N Leonova
- G.P. Somov Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Rospotrebnadzor, 690087 Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Larisa M Somova
- G.P. Somov Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Rospotrebnadzor, 690087 Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Svetlana A Abramova
- G.P. Somov Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Rospotrebnadzor, 690087 Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Evgeniy V Pustovalov
- G.P. Somov Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Rospotrebnadzor, 690087 Vladivostok, Russia
- Department of Information and Computer Systems, Far Eastern Federal University, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia
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16
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Identifying the Most Probable Mammal Reservoir Hosts for Monkeypox Virus Based on Ecological Niche Comparisons. Viruses 2023; 15:v15030727. [PMID: 36992436 PMCID: PMC10057484 DOI: 10.3390/v15030727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous human cases or epidemics have suggested that Monkeypox virus (MPXV) can be transmitted through contact with animals of African rainforests. Although MPXV has been identified in many mammal species, most are likely secondary hosts, and the reservoir host has yet to be discovered. In this study, we provide the full list of African mammal genera (and species) in which MPXV was previously detected, and predict the geographic distributions of all species of these genera based on museum specimens and an ecological niche modelling (ENM) method. Then, we reconstruct the ecological niche of MPXV using georeferenced data on animal MPXV sequences and human index cases, and conduct overlap analyses with the ecological niches inferred for 99 mammal species, in order to identify the most probable animal reservoir. Our results show that the MPXV niche covers three African rainforests: the Congo Basin, and Upper and Lower Guinean forests. The four mammal species showing the best niche overlap with MPXV are all arboreal rodents, including three squirrels: Funisciurus anerythrus, Funisciurus pyrropus, Heliosciurus rufobrachium, and Graphiurus lorraineus. We conclude that the most probable MPXV reservoir is F. anerythrus based on two niche overlap metrics, the areas of higher probabilities of occurrence, and available data on MPXV detection.
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17
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Molteni C, Forni D, Cagliani R, Mozzi A, Clerici M, Sironi M. Evolution of the orthopoxvirus core genome. Virus Res 2023; 323:198975. [PMID: 36280003 PMCID: PMC9586335 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2022.198975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Orthopoxviruses comprise several relevant pathogens, including the causative agent of smallpox and monkeypox virus. Analysis of orthopoxvirus genome evolution mainly focused on gene gains/losses. We instead analyzed core genes, which are conserved in all orthopoxviruses. We show that, despite their strong constraint, some genes involved in viral morphogenesis and transcription/replication were targets of pervasive positive selection, which was relatively uncommon in immunomodulatory genes. However at least three of the positively selected genes, E3L, A24R, and H3L, might have evolved in response to immune selection. Episodic positive selection was particularly common on the internal branches of the orthopox phylogeny and on the monkeypox virus lineage. The latter showed evidence of episodic positive selection at the D14L gene, which encodes a modulator of complement activation (MOPICE). Notably, two genes (B1R and A33R) targeted by episodic selection on more than one branch are involved in forms of intra-genomic conflict. Finally, we found that, in orthopoxvirus proteomes, intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) tend to be less constrained and are common targets of positive selection. Extension of our analysis to all poxviruses showed no evidence that the IDR fraction differs with host range. Conversely, we found a strong effect of base composition, which was however not sufficient to explain IDR fraction. We thus suggest that, in poxviruses, the IDR fraction is maintained by modulating GC content to accommodate disorder-promoting codons. Overall, our data provide novel insight in orthopoxvirus evolution and provide a list of genes and sites that are expected to modulate viral phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Molteni
- Scientific Institute IRCCS E. MEDEA, Bioinformatics, Bosisio Parini, Italy.
| | - Diego Forni
- Scientific Institute IRCCS E. MEDEA, Bioinformatics, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Rachele Cagliani
- Scientific Institute IRCCS E. MEDEA, Bioinformatics, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Alessandra Mozzi
- Scientific Institute IRCCS E. MEDEA, Bioinformatics, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Mario Clerici
- University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Don C. Gnocchi Foundation ONLUS, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Manuela Sironi
- Scientific Institute IRCCS E. MEDEA, Bioinformatics, Bosisio Parini, Italy
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18
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Shchelkunova GA, Shchelkunov SN. Smallpox, Monkeypox and Other Human Orthopoxvirus Infections. Viruses 2022; 15:103. [PMID: 36680142 PMCID: PMC9865299 DOI: 10.3390/v15010103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Considering that vaccination against smallpox with live vaccinia virus led to serious adverse effects in some cases, the WHO, after declaration of the global eradication of smallpox in 1980, strongly recommended to discontinue the vaccination in all countries. This led to the loss of immunity against not only smallpox but also other zoonotic orthopoxvirus infections in humans over the past years. An increasing number of human infections with zoonotic orthopoxviruses and, first of all, monkeypox, force us to reconsider a possible re-emergence of smallpox or a similar disease as a result of natural evolution of these viruses. The review contains a brief analysis of the results of studies on genomic organization and evolution of human pathogenic orthopoxviruses, development of modern methods for diagnosis, vaccination, and chemotherapy of smallpox, monkeypox, and other zoonotic human orthopoxvirus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sergei N. Shchelkunov
- State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology “Vector”, Rospotrebnadzor, Koltsovo, 630559 Novosibirsk, Russia
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19
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Abstract
Human monkeypox is a viral zoonosis endemic to West and Central Africa that has recently generated increased interest and concern on a global scale as an emerging infectious disease threat in the midst of the slowly relenting COVID-2019 disease pandemic. The hallmark of infection is the development of a flu-like prodrome followed by the appearance of a smallpox-like exanthem. Precipitous person-to-person transmission of the virus among residents of 100 countries where it is nonendemic has motivated the immediate and widespread implementation of public health countermeasures. In this review, we discuss the origins and virology of monkeypox virus, its link with smallpox eradication, its record of causing outbreaks of human disease in regions where it is endemic in wildlife, its association with outbreaks in areas where it is nonendemic, the clinical manifestations of disease, laboratory diagnostic methods, case management, public health interventions, and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sameer Elsayed
- Department of Medicine, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lise Bondy
- Department of Medicine, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - William P. Hanage
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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20
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Xiang Y, White A. Monkeypox virus emerges from the shadow of its more infamous cousin: family biology matters. Emerg Microbes Infect 2022; 11:1768-1777. [PMID: 35751396 PMCID: PMC9278444 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2095309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is closely related to the infamous variola (smallpox) virus, causing a febrile rash illness in humans similar to but milder than smallpox. In the twentieth century, human monkeypox had been mostly a rare zoonotic disease confined to forested areas in West and Central Africa. However, the case number and geographic range have increased significantly in this century, coincided with the waning of the smallpox vaccine-induced immunity in the global population. The outbreak of human monkeypox in multiple countries since May 2022 has been unusual in its large case number and the absence of direct links to endemic countries, raising concerns for a possible change in monkeypox transmission pattern that could pose a greater global threat. Here, we review aspects of MPXV biology that are relevant for risk assessment and preparedness for a monkeypox epidemic, with an emphasis on recent progress in understanding of the virus host range, evolutionary potential, and neutralization targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Xiang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Addison White
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
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21
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Barton T, Oladokun R. Monkeypox: How Globalization, Host Immunity, and Viral Evolution Create a New Pathogen. Pediatr Ann 2022; 51:e431-e435. [PMID: 36343176 DOI: 10.3928/19382359-20220913-02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Monkeypox is an Orthopoxvirus, endemic to West Africa and the Congo Basin. It causes an illness characterized by fever, myalgias, lymphadenopathy, and a disseminated vesicular rash. Although similar to smallpox, monkeypox is typically milder, with a lower mortality rate. Endemicity in Africa was previously reduced owing to cross-protection from smallpox vaccine but has been increasing since cessation of universal vaccination. Sporadic cases have been imported to the United States (US), with a few secondary cases. A large global outbreak in 2022 has demonstrated changing epidemiology and increased person-to-person transmission. In May 2022, a returned traveler in Massachusetts presented with monkeypox. As of October 7, 2022, 71,096 cases had been reported in 107 countries, and 26,577 of those were in the US. Most cases have been in younger people without previous smallpox vaccination and in men who have sex with men, a previously unrecognized mode of transmission. [Pediatr Ann. 2022;51(11):e431-e435.].
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22
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Forni D, Cagliani R, Molteni C, Clerici M, Sironi M. Monkeypox virus: The changing facets of a zoonotic pathogen. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2022; 105:105372. [PMID: 36202208 PMCID: PMC9534092 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2022.105372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
In the last five years, the prevalence of monkeypox has been increasing both in the regions considered endemic for the disease (West and Central Africa) and worldwide. Indeed, in July 2022, the World Health Organization declared the ongoing global outbreak of monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern. The disease is caused by monkeypox virus (MPXV), a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus, which also includes variola virus (the causative agent of smallpox) and vaccinia virus (used in the smallpox eradication campaign). Here, we review aspects of MPXV genetic diversity and epidemiology, with an emphasis on its genome structure, host range, and relationship with other orthopoxviruses. We also summarize the most recent findings deriving from the sequencing of outbreak MPXV genomes, and we discuss the apparent changing of MPXV evolutionary trajectory, which is characterized by the accumulation of point mutations rather than by gene gains/losses. Whereas the availability of a vaccine, the relatively mild presentation of the disease, and its relatively low transmissibility speak in favor of an efficient control of the global outbreak, the wide host range of MPXV raises concerns about the possible establishment of novel reservoirs. We also call for the deployment of field surveys and genomic surveillance programs to identify and control the MPXV reservoirs in West and Central Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Forni
- IRCCS E. MEDEA, Bioinformatics, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | | | | | - Mario Clerici
- University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Don C. Gnocchi Foundation ONLUS, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
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23
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Saied AA. Is monkeypox virus older than we think? Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:2407-2408. [PMID: 35789125 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- AbdulRahman A Saied
- National Food Safety Authority, Aswan Branch, Aswan, Egypt
- Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Aswan Office, Aswan, Egypt
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24
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Sapkal A, Agrawal S. Monkeypox: The Re-emerging Terror. Cureus 2022; 14:e28597. [PMID: 36185856 PMCID: PMC9522473 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.28597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Monkeypox is a zoonotic Orthopoxvirus called human Monkeypox. It has symptoms that resemble or are pretty similar to smallpox. Monkeypox virus belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus, which also includes cowpox, vaccinia, and variola viruses. The World Health Organization confirmed in 1970 that the primary virus is the Orthopoxvirus infecting humans after smallpox elimination. Clinically distinguishing the condition from varicella and smallpox is challenging for a clinician. Although the mortality rate of this disease is low, new tests are being tried and studied, which are required for a more accurate and quick diagnosis because the lab diagnosis is the key to the detection of illness and its monitoring. The illness or the virus is endemic to parts of western and central Africa. Surveillance in underdeveloped rural regions is challenging but manageable with evidence-based techniques and training materials for public health professionals. However, as in the present scenario, the disease is having a worldwide outbreak in various countries, and recently India detected its first case on 15 July 2022 in New Delhi. The widespread disease is due to trading exotic pets and international travel. Since smallpox vaccinations are not administered to people regularly, epidemiological studies are required. New medications and vaccines provide hope for treating and preventing Monkeypox; however, further study is required before they can be used effectively. Also, there is a requirement for advanced scientific studies in the etiology, epidemiology, and biological structure of the virus in the endemic zones to know and halt the spread of infection to humans.
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25
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MacNeill AL. Comparative Pathology of Zoonotic Orthopoxviruses. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11080892. [PMID: 36015017 PMCID: PMC9412692 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11080892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This review provides a brief history of the impacts that a human-specific Orthopoxvirus (OPXV), Variola virus, had on mankind, recalls how critical vaccination was for the eradication of this disease, and discusses the consequences of discontinuing vaccination against OPXV. One of these consequences is the emergence of zoonotic OPXV diseases, including Monkeypox virus (MPXV). The focus of this manuscript is to compare pathology associated with zoonotic OPXV infection in veterinary species and in humans. Efficient recognition of poxvirus lesions and other, more subtle signs of disease in multiple species is critical to prevent further spread of poxvirus infections. Additionally included are a synopsis of the pathology observed in animal models of MPXV infection, the recent spread of MPXV among humans, and a discussion of the potential for this virus to persist in Europe and the Americas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L MacNeill
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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26
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Diagnosis and successful treatment of Brazillian porcupine poxvirus infection in a free-ranging hairy dwarf porcupine (Coendu spinosus). Braz J Microbiol 2022; 53:2321-2327. [PMID: 35906453 PMCID: PMC9679114 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-022-00804-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Brazilian porcupine poxvirus (BPoPV) is a new poxvirus recently described in porcupines (Coendou prehensilis) from Brazil. Herein, we described a free-ranging adult male Coendou (Sphiggurus) spinosus rescued after being found lethargic on the ground in a rural area. The animal presented crusty, edematous, and suppurative skin lesions on the face, tail, and perineum, and yellowish ocular secretion. The diagnosis was performed by histopathology, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), PCR, and sequencing. Microscopically, proliferative and necrotizing dermatitis, subacute, multifocal with ballooning degeneration, and eosinophilic intracytoplasmic viral inclusion bodies were observed. TEM confirmed large brick-shaped virions inside the keratinocyte cytoplasm, measuring about 200-280 × 120-180 nm. Partial fragment of intracellular mature virion membrane protein gene and putative metalloproteinase gene was successfully amplified and sequenced, and the strain herein denoted IAL/21 V-102 was classified as BPoPV, showing 99.4% of nucleotide identity to the reference strain UFU/USP001. Enrofloxacin 10% (10 mg/kg) was administered every 24 h through intramuscular injection for 10 days, dipyrone/metamizole (25 mg/kg) every 24 h orally (PO) for 3 days, 0.5 ml (mL) of thymomodulin every 24 h PO for 30 days, and each 48 h for another 15 days. The lesions were cleaned and debrided every 15 days. Seventy-five days after the beginning of the treatment, the cutaneous lesions regressed, the animal gained weight, and was clinically stable. After treatment, the skin biopsy showed only mild epidermal acanthosis, intra-cellular edema, and mild lymphoplasmacytic perivascular dermatitis. No viral particles were observed by TEM and no poxviral DNA was amplified by PCR. This study documents the first case of confirmed and treated BPoPV infection in a hairy dwarf porcupine. The implemented therapeutic plan eliminated the infection and improved the general state of the animal.
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27
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Diaz-Cánova D, Moens UL, Brinkmann A, Nitsche A, Okeke MI. Genomic Sequencing and Analysis of a Novel Human Cowpox Virus With Mosaic Sequences From North America and Old World Orthopoxvirus. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:868887. [PMID: 35592007 PMCID: PMC9112427 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.868887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Orthopoxviruses (OPXVs) not only infect their natural hosts, but some OPXVs can also cause disease in humans. Previously, we partially characterized an OPXV isolated from an 18-year-old male living in Northern Norway. Restriction enzyme analysis and partial genome sequencing characterized this virus as an atypical cowpox virus (CPXV), which we named CPXV-No-H2. In this study, we determined the complete genome sequence of CPXV-No-H2 using Illumina and Nanopore sequencing. Our results showed that the whole CPXV-No-H2 genome is 220,276 base pairs (bp) in length, with inverted terminal repeat regions of approximately 7 kbp, containing 217 predicted genes. Seventeen predicted CPXV-No-H2 proteins were most similar to OPXV proteins from the Old World, including Ectromelia virus (ECTV) and Vaccinia virus, and North America, Alaskapox virus (AKPV). CPXV-No-H2 has a mosaic genome with genes most similar to other OPXV genes, and seven potential recombination events were identified. The phylogenetic analysis showed that CPXV-No-H2 formed a separate clade with the German CPXV isolates CPXV_GerMygEK938_17 and CPXV_Ger2010_MKY, sharing 96.4 and 96.3% nucleotide identity, respectively, and this clade clustered closely with the ECTV-OPXV Abatino clade. CPXV-No-H2 is a mosaic virus that may have arisen out of several recombination events between OPXVs, and its phylogenetic clustering suggests that ECTV-Abatino-like cowpox viruses form a distinct, new clade of cowpox viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Diaz-Cánova
- Molecular Inflammation Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Ugo L Moens
- Molecular Inflammation Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Annika Brinkmann
- Highly Pathogenic Viruses, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, WHO Reference Laboratory for SARS-CoV-2 and WHO Collaborating Centre for Emerging Infections and Biological Threats, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Nitsche
- Highly Pathogenic Viruses, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, WHO Reference Laboratory for SARS-CoV-2 and WHO Collaborating Centre for Emerging Infections and Biological Threats, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Malachy Ifeanyi Okeke
- Section of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Natural and Environmental Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, American University of Nigeria, Yola, Nigeria
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28
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Hou J, Wang S, Li D, Carpp LN, Zhang T, Liu Y, Jia M, Peng H, Liu C, Wu H, Huang Y, Shao Y. Early Pro-Inflammatory Signal and T-Cell Activation Associate With Vaccine-Induced Anti-Vaccinia Protective Neutralizing Antibodies. Front Immunol 2021; 12:737487. [PMID: 34707608 PMCID: PMC8542877 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.737487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Both vaccine “take” and neutralizing antibody (nAb) titer are historical correlates for vaccine-induced protection from smallpox. We analyzed a subset of samples from a phase 2a trial of three DNA/HIV-1 primes and a recombinant Tiantan vaccinia virus-vectored (rTV)/HIV-1 booster and found that a proportion of participants showed no anti-vaccinia nAb response to the rTV/HIV-1 booster, despite successful vaccine “take.” Using a rich transcriptomic and vaccinia-specific immunological dataset with fine kinetic sampling, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying nAb response. Blood transcription module analysis revealed the downregulation of the activator protein 1 (AP-1) pathway in responders, but not in non-responders, and the upregulation of T-cell activation in responders. Furthermore, transcriptional factor network reconstruction revealed the upregulation of AP-1 core genes at hour 4 and day 1 post-rTV/HIV-1 vaccination, followed by a downregulation from day 3 until day 28 in responders. In contrast, AP-1 core and pro-inflammatory genes were upregulated on day 7 in non-responders. We speculate that persistent pro-inflammatory signaling early post-rTV/HIV-1 vaccination inhibits the nAb response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jue Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Shuhui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Dan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Lindsay N Carpp
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Tong Zhang
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Manxue Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Chang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yunda Huang
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Yiming Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
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29
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Senkevich TG, Yutin N, Wolf YI, Koonin EV, Moss B. Ancient Gene Capture and Recent Gene Loss Shape the Evolution of Orthopoxvirus-Host Interaction Genes. mBio 2021; 12:e0149521. [PMID: 34253028 PMCID: PMC8406176 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01495-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The survival of viruses depends on their ability to resist host defenses and, of all animal virus families, the poxviruses have the most antidefense genes. Orthopoxviruses (ORPV), a genus within the subfamily Chordopoxvirinae, infect diverse mammals and include one of the most devastating human pathogens, the now eradicated smallpox virus. ORPV encode ∼200 genes, of which roughly half are directly involved in virus genome replication and expression as well as virion morphogenesis. The remaining ∼100 "accessory" genes are responsible for virus-host interactions, particularly counter-defense of innate immunity. Complete sequences are currently available for several hundred ORPV genomes isolated from a variety of mammalian hosts, providing a rich resource for comparative genomics and reconstruction of ORPV evolution. To identify the provenance and evolutionary trends of the ORPV accessory genes, we constructed clusters including the orthologs of these genes from all chordopoxviruses. Most of the accessory genes were captured in three major waves early in chordopoxvirus evolution, prior to the divergence of ORPV and the sister genus Centapoxvirus from their common ancestor. The capture of these genes from the host was followed by extensive gene duplication, yielding several paralogous gene families. In addition, nine genes were gained during the evolution of ORPV themselves. In contrast, nearly every accessory gene was lost, some on multiple, independent occasions in numerous lineages of ORPV, so that no ORPV retains them all. A variety of functional interactions could be inferred from examination of pairs of ORPV accessory genes that were either often or rarely lost concurrently. IMPORTANCE Orthopoxviruses (ORPV) include smallpox (variola) virus, one of the most devastating human pathogens, and vaccinia virus, comprising the vaccine used for smallpox eradication. Among roughly 200 ORPV genes, about half are essential for genome replication and expression as well as virion morphogenesis, whereas the remaining half consists of accessory genes counteracting the host immune response. We reannotated the accessory genes of ORPV, predicting the functions of uncharacterized genes, and reconstructed the history of their gain and loss during the evolution of ORPV. Most of the accessory genes were acquired in three major waves antedating the origin of ORPV from chordopoxviruses. The evolution of ORPV themselves was dominated by gene loss, with numerous genes lost at the base of each major group of ORPV. Examination of pairs of ORPV accessory genes that were either often or rarely lost concurrently during ORPV evolution allows prediction of different types of functional interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana G. Senkevich
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Instutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Natalya Yutin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Yuri I. Wolf
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Eugene V. Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Bernard Moss
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Instutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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30
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Hora AS, Taniwaki SA, Martins NB, Pinto NNR, Schlemper AE, Santos ALQ, Szabó MPJ, Brandão PE. Genomic Analysis of Novel Poxvirus Brazilian Porcupinepox Virus, Brazil, 2019. Emerg Infect Dis 2021; 27:1177-1180. [PMID: 33754985 PMCID: PMC8007330 DOI: 10.3201/eid2704.203818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We obtained the complete sequence of a novel poxvirus, tentatively named Brazilian porcupinepox virus, from a wild porcupine (Coendou prehensilis) in Brazil that had skin and internal lesions characteristic of poxvirus infection. The impact of this lethal poxvirus on the survival of this species and its potential zoonotic importance remain to be investigated.
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31
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Keatts LO, Robards M, Olson SH, Hueffer K, Insley SJ, Joly DO, Kutz S, Lee DS, Chetkiewicz CLB, Lair S, Preston ND, Pruvot M, Ray JC, Reid D, Sleeman JM, Stimmelmayr R, Stephen C, Walzer C. Implications of Zoonoses From Hunting and Use of Wildlife in North American Arctic and Boreal Biomes: Pandemic Potential, Monitoring, and Mitigation. Front Public Health 2021; 9:627654. [PMID: 34026707 PMCID: PMC8131663 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.627654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has re-focused attention on mechanisms that lead to zoonotic disease spillover and spread. Commercial wildlife trade, and associated markets, are recognized mechanisms for zoonotic disease emergence, resulting in a growing global conversation around reducing human disease risks from spillover associated with hunting, trade, and consumption of wild animals. These discussions are especially relevant to people who rely on harvesting wildlife to meet nutritional, and cultural needs, including those in Arctic and boreal regions. Global policies around wildlife use and trade can impact food sovereignty and security, especially of Indigenous Peoples. We reviewed known zoonotic pathogens and current risks of transmission from wildlife (including fish) to humans in North American Arctic and boreal biomes, and evaluated the epidemic and pandemic potential of these zoonoses. We discuss future concerns, and consider monitoring and mitigation measures in these changing socio-ecological systems. While multiple zoonotic pathogens circulate in these systems, risks to humans are mostly limited to individual illness or local community outbreaks. These regions are relatively remote, subject to very cold temperatures, have relatively low wildlife, domestic animal, and pathogen diversity, and in many cases low density, including of humans. Hence, favorable conditions for emergence of novel diseases or major amplification of a spillover event are currently not present. The greatest risk to northern communities from pathogens of pandemic potential is via introduction with humans visiting from other areas. However, Arctic and boreal ecosystems are undergoing rapid changes through climate warming, habitat encroachment, and development; all of which can change host and pathogen relationships, thereby affecting the probability of the emergence of new (and re-emergence of old) zoonoses. Indigenous leadership and engagement in disease monitoring, prevention and response, is vital from the outset, and would increase the success of such efforts, as well as ensure the protection of Indigenous rights as outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Partnering with northern communities and including Indigenous Knowledge Systems would improve the timeliness, and likelihood, of detecting emerging zoonotic risks, and contextualize risk assessments to the unique human-wildlife relationships present in northern biomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy O. Keatts
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Martin Robards
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Arctic Beringia Program, Fairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Sarah H. Olson
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Karsten Hueffer
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Arctic and Northern Studies Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Stephen J. Insley
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | | | - Susan Kutz
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - David S. Lee
- Department of Wildlife and Environment, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Stéphane Lair
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Mathieu Pruvot
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Justina C. Ray
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Donald Reid
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jonathan M. Sleeman
- United States Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Raphaela Stimmelmayr
- North Slope Department of Wildlife Management, Utqiagvik, AK, United States
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Craig Stephen
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Chris Walzer
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
- Conservation Medicine Unit, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
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32
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Simpson K, Heymann D, Brown CS, Edmunds WJ, Elsgaard J, Fine P, Hochrein H, Hoff NA, Green A, Ihekweazu C, Jones TC, Lule S, Maclennan J, McCollum A, Mühlemann B, Nightingale E, Ogoina D, Ogunleye A, Petersen B, Powell J, Quantick O, Rimoin AW, Ulaeato D, Wapling A. Human monkeypox - After 40 years, an unintended consequence of smallpox eradication. Vaccine 2020; 38:5077-5081. [PMID: 32417140 PMCID: PMC9533855 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.04.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 189] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Smallpox eradication, coordinated by the WHO and certified 40 years ago, led to the cessation of routine smallpox vaccination in most countries. It is estimated that over 70% of the world's population is no longer protected against smallpox, and through cross-immunity, to closely related orthopox viruses such as monkeypox. Monkeypox is now a re-emerging disease. Monkeypox is endemic in as yet unconfirmed animal reservoirs in sub-Saharan Africa, while its human epidemiology appears to be changing. Monkeypox in small animals imported from Ghana as exotic pets was at the origin of an outbreak of human monkeypox in the USA in 2003. Travellers infected in Nigeria were at the origin of monkeypox cases in the UK in 2018 and 2019, Israel in 2018 and Singapore in2019. Together with sporadic reports of human infections with other orthopox viruses, these facts invite speculation that emergent or re-emergent human monkeypox might fill the epidemiological niche vacated by smallpox. An ad-hoc and unofficial group of interested experts met to consider these issues at Chatham House, London in June 2019, in order to review available data and identify monkeypox-related research gaps. Gaps identified by the experts included:The experts further agreed on the need for a better understanding of the genomic evolution and changing epidemiology of orthopox viruses, the usefulness of in-field genomic diagnostics, and the best disease control strategies, including the possibility of vaccination with new generation non-replicating smallpox vaccines and treatment with recently developed antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Simpson
- JKS Bioscience Limited, 2 Midanbury Court, 44 Midanbury Lane, Southampton SO18 4HF, UK.
| | - David Heymann
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel St, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
| | - Colin S Brown
- Public Health England, Colindale, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, UK.
| | - W John Edmunds
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel St, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
| | - Jesper Elsgaard
- Bavarian Nordic A/S, Hejreskovvej 10A, DK-3490 Kvistgård, Denmark.
| | - Paul Fine
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel St, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
| | | | - Nicole A Hoff
- Fielding School of Public Health, UCLA, 50 Charles E Young Dr S, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States.
| | - Andrew Green
- Royal Centre of Defence Medicine, Level 2 QEHB, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB,UK.
| | - Chikwe Ihekweazu
- Nigeria CDC, Plot 801, Ebitu Ukiwe Street, Jabi, Abuja, Nigeria.
| | - Terry C Jones
- Centre for Pathogen Evolution, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing St., Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK; Institute of Virology, Charité, Universitätsmedizin Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Swaib Lule
- University College London, Faculty of Population Health Sciences, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK.
| | - Jane Maclennan
- Bavarian Nordic GmbH, Fraunhoferstraße 13, 82152 Planegg, Germany.
| | - Andrea McCollum
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, CDC, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
| | - Barbara Mühlemann
- Centre for Pathogen Evolution, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing St., Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK; Institute of Virology, Charité, Universitätsmedizin Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Emily Nightingale
- The Forge Veterinary Centre, 93b Head Street, Halstead, Essex CO9 2AZ, UK.
| | - Dimie Ogoina
- Niger Delta University/Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Bayelsa, Nigeria
| | - Adesola Ogunleye
- Nigeria CDC, Plot 801, Ebitu Ukiwe Street, Jabi, Abuja, Nigeria.
| | - Brett Petersen
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, CDC, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
| | - Jacqueline Powell
- Bavarian Nordic Inc, 3025 Carrington Mill Blvd, Morrisville, NC 27560, USA.
| | - Ollie Quantick
- SO1 Public Health and Health Protection, Army Headquarters, Ground Floor, Zone1, Blenheim Bd, Marlborough Lines, Monxton Road, Andover, Hampshire SP11 8HJ, UK.
| | - Anne W Rimoin
- Fielding School of Public Health, UCLA, 50 Charles E Young Dr S, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States.
| | - David Ulaeato
- CBR Division, Defence Science & Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JQ, UK.
| | - Andy Wapling
- Regional Head of Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response, NHS England (South West & South East), UK.
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33
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Meyer H, Ehmann R, Smith GL. Smallpox in the Post-Eradication Era. Viruses 2020; 12:E138. [PMID: 31991671 PMCID: PMC7077202 DOI: 10.3390/v12020138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Widespread vaccination programmes led to the global eradication of smallpox, which was certified by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and, since 1978, there has been no case of smallpox anywhere in the world. However, the viable variola virus (VARV), the causative agent of smallpox, is still kept in two maximum security laboratories in Russia and the USA. Despite the eradication of the disease smallpox, clandestine stocks of VARV may exist. In a rapidly changing world, the impact of an intentional VARV release in the human population would nowadays result in a public health emergency of global concern: vaccination programmes were abolished, the percentage of immunosuppressed individuals in the human population is higher, and an increased intercontinental air travel allows for the rapid viral spread of diseases around the world. The WHO has authorised the temporary retention of VARV to enable essential research for public health benefit to take place. This work aims to develop diagnostic tests, antiviral drugs, and safer vaccines. Advances in synthetic biology have made it possible to produce infectious poxvirus particles from chemicals in vitro so that it is now possible to reconstruct VARV. The status of smallpox in the post-eradication era is reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hermann Meyer
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, 80937 Munich, Germany
| | - Rosina Ehmann
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, 80937 Munich, Germany
| | - Geoffrey L. Smith
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK;
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