Researchers studying the monkeypox virus said it appeared to have mutated at an unprecedented rate – much faster than experts initially predicted, according to a new study.
The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine on Thursday, found that there are an average of 50 mutations in samples from this year, when only up to 10 are usually expected.
In the study, a group of Portuguese researchers analyzed the first sequence of monkeypox, published publicly on May 20, along with 14 additional sequences released before May 27.
The researchers found about 50 genetic variations of the viruses, a figure 6 to 12 times higher than previous studies of other orthopoxviruses, a family of viruses to which monkeypox belongs.
The study says that the degree of mutations may suggest a case of “accelerated evolution.”
Monkeypox can cause blisters, pimples and skin lesions.HANDOUT / UK Health Security Agency / AFP via Getty Images
Joao Paulo Gomes, co-author and head of the genomics and bioinformatics department at the National Institutes of Health in Portugal, said the number of mutations was “quite unexpected.”
“Given that this monkeypox virus from 2022 is probably a descendant of the one from the epidemic in Nigeria in 2017, one would expect no more than five to 10 additional mutations instead of the observed about 50 mutations,” he said. in front of Newsweek.
A man has been vaccinated at a monkey measles vaccination clinic run by the CIUSSS public health authorities in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. REUTERS / Christine Muschi / Photo file
“We hope that now specialized groups will perform laboratory experiments to find out whether this virus from 2022 has increased its portability.
There are currently more than 3,500 cases of the virus in 44 countries around the world.
Monkeypox, a viral infection that causes skin lesions, is endemic in some parts of Africa. But the current epidemic has affected countries where the virus does not usually spread, causing concern.
The CDC said there were also reports of transmission among family members and close contacts.
The virus can be spread by sharing body fluids or clothing with an infected person or animal. It can also be contracted by inhaling respiratory droplets while talking to someone.
Monkeypox can cause blisters and pimples on the skin. Patients also report blistering rash.
The Biden administration announced this week that tests for the virus would be sent to commercial labs to fight to expand tests and speed up diagnoses, as confirmed cases across the country reached 173 as of Friday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Smallpox can infect anyone, but a number of cases in the United States and Europe have been found in gays, prompting health officials to push for community awareness, although tests remain scarce and only people who meet strict criteria such as lesions can even to be tested.
The United Kingdom recently announced the introduction of a vaccine only for gay and bisexual men.
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