Fernando González Candelas
Professor of Genetics at the University of Valencia and researcher at the mixed unit Infection and Public Health FISABIO/Universitat de Valencia
This is the first peer-reviewed paper to analyse the monkey virus (MPXV) genome from patients involved in the recently detected outbreak.
The study employs most of the techniques and methodologies that have been used in the genomic study of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, adapting them to the specific characteristics of MPXV, such as its larger size (almost 10 times that of SARS-CoV-2) and the nature of the hereditary material (DNA instead of RNA). This implies a lower mutation rate but, because it is a larger genome, it allows transmission chains to be analysed with high reliability.
The most remarkable result is to demonstrate that the outbreak, detected in several countries almost simultaneously, has a single origin and, moreover, that this origin involves a virus that has undergone a significant number of changes with respect to the closest viruses of the same species identified so far (related to viruses endemic in central and eastern African countries). These genetic changes appear to be linked to adaptations to the new host (humans, as the natural host of the virus is various rodents and other small mammals).
Although the spread of the MPXV outbreak is nowhere near as rapid and widespread as that of SARS-CoV-2, this is a new example of an emerging infection that can spread rapidly around the world and needs to be addressed as soon as possible to prevent more serious consequences. Genomic surveillance of these and other pathogens is one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal to achieve this goal.