article · Eurosurveillance
Suspected infections caused by the monkeypox virus have risen sharply across the Democratic Republic of the Congo since the start of 2023. Genomic examination of six patient cases from South Kivu province yielded near-complete viral genome sequences. Evolutionary analysis indicates that the pathogen driving these infections represents a previously uncharacterised sub-lineage of Clade I. Crucially, the genetic sequence of this newly identified outbreak strain is missing the specific target binding sites required by standard diagnostic tools, namely the primers and probes used in an established Clade I-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. This genomic alteration means that standard Clade I diagnostic tests may fail to identify the lineage correctly, presenting clear challenges for tracking and confirming active infections during the ongoing regional outbreak.
When viral strains mutate or lose target genetic regions, standard diagnostic tests can produce false-negative results. Identifying this novel Clade I sub-lineage is vital for updating diagnostic tools, enabling public health teams to accurately detect active infections and monitor the spread of the virus during an ongoing outbreak.
This work directly informs diagnostic developers, test manufacturers, and clinical laboratories seeking to update molecular assays for mpox surveillance. Diagnostic kits relying on previous Clade I targets risk diagnostic failure. Redesigning primers and probes represents an early-stage applied development opportunity, necessary to ensure reliable detection kits reach public health agencies and diagnostic providers operating in affected regions.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Since the beginning of 2023, the number of people with suspected monkeypox virus (MPXV) infection have sharply increased in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We report near-to-complete MPXV genome sequences derived from six cases from the South Kivu province. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that the MPXV affecting the cases belongs to a novel Clade I sub-lineage. The outbreak strain genome lacks the target sequence of the probe and primers of a commonly used Clade I-specific real-time PCR.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2024.29.11.2400106
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
