Monkeypox pathogen has mutated surprisingly strongly: study

The pathogen causing the current outbreak of monkeypox has mutated surprisingly strongly, according to a study.

Compared to related viruses in 2018 and 2019, there are around 50 differences in the genotype, a team from Portugal wrote in the Nature Medicine journal, based primarily on analyses of Portuguese cases.

This is roughly six to 12 times more than would have been expected for this type of pathogen on the basis of earlier estimates. The divergent branch could be a sign of accelerated evolution.

"Our data reveals additional clues of ongoing viral evolution and potential human adaptation," said the study led by João Paulo Gomes of the National Institute of Health Dr Ricardo Jorge (INSA) in Lisbon.

Experts had so far spoken of a fundamentally rather slow development with regard to this type of virus, especially compared to the very numerous mutations of the Covid-19 virus.

The authors of the study suspect one or more introductions from a country where the virus is persistent to be behind the current outbreak. Superspreader events and international travel then appeared to have promoted further escalation.

Experts also suspect that enzymes of the human immune system were responsible for these changes in the genome.

They added that the were no indications whether the mutations favoured the current spraed, but that could not be ruled out.

Worldwide, almost 5,000 monkeypox infections have been reported this year. Of these, 3,308 cases were registered in 40 countries outside Africa as of Wednesday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The disease is spread through close physical contact. Although the disease can be deadly, it is treatable but comes with a phase of bothersome skin rashes.