article · Nature Medicine
This research describes an mpox outbreak in a mining region of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo between September 2023 and January 2024. The outbreak involved 241 suspected cases, with 108 confirmed by PCR. Genomic analysis revealed a distinct clade I monkeypox virus lineage, different from previously circulating strains in the region. The median age of confirmed cases was 22 years, with over half being female and a significant proportion identified as sex workers. These demographic patterns, alongside the presence of APOBEC3-type mutations and the estimated emergence in mid-September 2023, suggest sustained human-to-human transmission, potentially including sexual contact.
Understanding new mpox outbreaks and their transmission patterns is crucial for public health. This research identifies a novel, potentially sexually transmitted clade I lineage, which helps inform surveillance, prevention strategies, and vaccine development efforts to control the spread of this disease, especially in vulnerable populations.
The abstract does not indicate an application pathway for commercialisation. It focuses on epidemiological and genomic characterisation of an outbreak.
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Outbreaks of monkeypox (mpox) have historically resulted from zoonotic spillover of clade I monkeypox virus (MPXV) in Central Africa and clade II MPXV in West Africa. In 2022, subclade IIb caused a global epidemic linked to transmission through sexual contact. Here we describe the epidemiological and genomic features of an mpox outbreak in a mining region in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, caused by clade I MPXV. Surveillance data collected between September 2023 and January 2024 identified 241 suspected cases. Genomic analysis demonstrates a distinct clade I lineage divergent from previously circulating strains in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Of the 108 polymerase chain reaction-confirmed mpox cases, the median age of individuals was 22 years, 51.9% were female and 29% were sex workers, suggesting a potential role for sexual transmission. The predominance of APOBEC3-type mutations and the estimated emergence time around mid-September 2023 imply recent sustained human-to-human transmission.
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DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-03130-3
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