The mpox virus uses a ‘genomic accordion’ to evolve and infect humans

• The mpox family of viruses is known to be able to evade selective evolutionary pressures.
• In a recent study, scientists reported the part of the mpox genome where such changes happen.

Highlights:

• Poxvirus Mpox was in the headlines after a rapidly expanding global outbreak in 2022-2023.
  • The virus was previously called ‘monkeypox’ after a spillover event in a research facility involving monkeys in 1958.
  • However, researchers have identified mpox in many sporadic outbreaks among humans.
• Without immediate intervention, the outbreak has the potential to spread rapidly across national, and even continental, boundaries and come out as another global outbreak.
  • To mitigate this emerging danger rigorous genomic investigations and coordinated public health efforts are required for world’s health security.

Mpox Virus:

• Mpox (previously monkeypox) is a viral illness caused by the mpox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus. Two different clades exist: clade I and clade II
• Mpox is treated with supportive care. In some circumstances Vaccines and therapeutics developed for smallpox approved for use in some countries can be used for mpox.
• Due to a mpox outbreak in 2022 in more than 118 countries, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared it as a public health emergency.
  • The outbreak was due to one clade (strains of the virus descended from a common ancestor) - called IIb

Prelims Takeaways:

• Small pox
• Mpox virus