Monkeypox viruses circulate in distantly-related small mammal species in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Mariën, Joachim; Laudisoit, Anne; Patrono, Livia Victoria; Baelo, Pascal; Vredendaal, Rianne van; Musaba, Prescott; Crispin, Gembu, Guy,; Mande, Claude; Ngoy, Steve; Mussaw, Moise; Houtte, Natalie Van; Perre, Frederik Van de; Gryseels, Sophie; Muyembe-Tamfum, Jean Jacques; Bottieau, Emmanuel; Calvignac‐Spencer, Sébastien; Leendertz, Fabian H.; Leirs, Herwig; Verheyen, Erik

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-414280/v1

Cited by 12 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…More recently, more than 80,000 cases have been reported in 2022 worldwide, during an epidemic involving mostly homosexual men [28,29] Local investigations in African countries have suggested that several human MPX cases or epidemics originated from contacts with wild mammals, such as chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), Pennant's red colobus (Piliocolobus pennanti) or Gambian pouched rat (Cricetomys emini) [30,31]. In agreement with that, MPXV has been isolated or sequenced from several mammal species in Africa, including arboreal species, such as monkeys and squirrels, as well as ground-living species, including rodents and shrews [32][33][34][35][36][37]. In addition, antibodies against OPXV were detected in many species from four mammalian orders and nine families.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Identifying the most probable mammal reservoir hosts for Monkeypox virus based on ecological niche comparisons

Curaudeau

Besombes

Nakouné

et al. 2022

Preprint

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BackgroundPrevious human cases or epidemics have suggested that Monkeypox virus (MPXV) can be transmitted through contacts with animals of African rainforests. Although MPXV has been identified in many mammal species, most are likely secondary hosts and the reservoir host has yet to be discovered.Methodology/Principal FindingsIn this study, we provide the full list of African mammal genera (and species) in which MPXV was previously detected and predict the geographic distributions of all species of these genera based on museum specimens and an ecological niche modelling (ENM) method. Then, we reconstruct the ecological niche of MPXV using georeferenced data on animal MPXV sequences and human index cases, and conduct overlap analyses with the ecological niches inferred for 99 mammal species in order to identify the most probable animal reservoir.Conclusions/SignificanceOur results show that the MPXV niche covers three African rainforests, the Congo Basin and Upper and Lower Guinean forests. The four mammal species showing the best niche overlap with MPXV are all arboreal rodents, including three squirrels,Funisciurus anerythrus, Funisciurus pyrropus, andHeliosciurus rufobrachium, andGraphiurus lorraineus. We conclude that the most probable MPXV reservoir isF. anerythrusbased on two niche overlap metrics, the areas of higher probabilities of occurrence, and available data on MPXV detection.SummaryMonkeypox (MPX) is an emerging zoonotic disease, endemic to rainforests of West and Central Africa, which manifests as a fever, swollen lymph nodes, and fatigue, followed by a rash with macular lesions progressing from papules to vesicles, pustules and scabs, usually on the face, hands, and feet for two to four weeks. The case fatality rate ranges from 1-3% in West Africa to 5-10% in Central Africa. The disease has been reported in 10 African countries between 1970 and today, with an increasing number of cases over the last decades and several exportations outside the continent, the last one in 2022 resulting in an epidemic involving mostly men who have sex with men, with more than 80,000 cases detected worldwide.Although MPX virus has been identified in many mammal species, most are likely secondary hosts and the reservoir host has yet to be discovered. In this study, we compare the predicted geographic distribution (ecological niche) of the MPX virus with that of 99 mammal species, and conclude that the most probable MPX reservoir is Thomas’s rope squirrel (Funisciurus anerythrus), followed by three other arboreal rodents, including two squirrels (Funisciurus pyrropusandHeliosciurus rufobrachium) and the Lorrain dormouse (Graphiurus lorraineus).

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Identifying the most probable mammal reservoir hosts for Monkeypox virus based on ecological niche comparisons

Curaudeau

Besombes

Nakouné

et al. 2022

Preprint

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“…MPXV has been detected in a variety of hosts including in 1985 from Thomas's rope squirrel (Funisciurus anerythrus) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), 15 in 1992 from a sooty mangabey monkey (Cercocebus atys) in Côte d'Ivoire, 16 in 2010-2016 from rope squirrels (Funisciurus anerythrus, Funisciurus bayonii), other rodents species (Stochomys longicaudatus, Cricetomys sp.) and one shrew (Crocidura littoralis) in DRC, 17 in 2019 in chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) faeces in Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, 18 from Gambian giant pouched rats (Cricetomys gambianus), 19,20 and from African dormouse (Graphiurus kelleni). 21 cases annually since 2005.…”

Section: The Pathogenmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monkeypox: An international epidemic

Focosi¹,

Novazzi

Baj

et al. 2022

Reviews in Medical Virology

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Human monkeypox (MPX) is a viral zoonosis caused by the Monkeypox virus. For decades outbreaks exclusively occurred in the tropical rainforests of Africa, with a few imported cases and very limited human‐to‐human transmission outside Africa. Nevertheless, in the last years sustained outbreaks have emerged, peaking at 4600 cases in 2020 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since May 2022, an international epidemic originated at 2 events in Spain and Belgium led to sustained human‐to‐human transmission across multiple continents, mostly in males having sex with males subjects. We review here clinical presentation, epidemiology, viral evolution, vaccines, and therapeutics against human MPX.

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“…Host and tissue tropism: Members of the OPV family are thought to exhibit diverse spectra of host tropisms[ 46 ]. Although the reservoir host for MPXV has not been definitively identified, many mammalian species are naturally infected with MPXV[ 47 ]. Thus, it is believed that MPXV has a wide host range.…”

Section: Infection Biology Diagnosis and Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monkeypox: An emerging zoonotic pathogen

Beig¹,

Mohammadi²,

Monfared³

et al. 2022

World J Virol

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Monkeypox virus (MPXV), which belongs to the orthopoxvirus genus, causes zoonotic viral disease. This review discusses the biology, epidemiology, and evolution of MPXV infection, particularly cellular, human, and viral factors, virus transmission dynamics, infection, and persistence in nature. This review also describes the role of recombination, gene loss, and gene gain in MPXV evol-vement and the role of signal transduction in MPXV infection and provides an overview of the current access to therapeutic options for the treatment and prevention of MPXV. Finally, this review highlighted gaps in knowledge and proposed future research endeavors to address the unresolved questions.

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Monkeypox viruses circulate in distantly-related small mammal species in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Cited by 12 publications

References 18 publications

Identifying the most probable mammal reservoir hosts for Monkeypox virus based on ecological niche comparisons

Identifying the most probable mammal reservoir hosts for Monkeypox virus based on ecological niche comparisons

Monkeypox: An international epidemic

Monkeypox: An emerging zoonotic pathogen

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