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Exploring Viral Genome Profile in Mpox Patients during the 2022 Outbreak, in a North-Eastern Centre of Italy

Authors :
Michela Deiana
Denise Lavezzari
Antonio Mori
Silvia Accordini
Elena Pomari
Chiara Piubelli
Simone Malagò
Maddalena Cordioli
Niccolò Ronzoni
Andrea Angheben
Evelina Tacconelli
Maria Rosaria Capobianchi
Federico Giovanni Gobbi
Concetta Castilletti
Source :
Viruses, Vol 16, Iss 5, p 726 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2024.

Abstract

In 2022, an unprecedented outbreak of mpox raged in several nations. Sequences from the 2022 outbreak reveal a higher nucleotide substitution if compared with the estimated rate for orthopoxviruses. Recently, intra-lesion SNVs (single nucleotide variants) have been described, and these have been suggested as possible sources of genetic variation. Until now, it has not been clear if the presence of several SNVs could represents the result of local mutagenesis or a possible co-infection. We investigated the significance of SNVs through whole-genome sequencing analysis of four unrelated mpox cases. In addition to the known mutations harboured by the circulating strains of virus (MPXV), 7 novel mutations were identified, including SNVs located in genes that are involved in immune evasion mechanisms and/or viral fitness, six of these appeared to be APOBEC3-driven. Interestingly, three patients exhibited the coexistence of mutated and wild-type alleles for five non-synonymous variants. In addition, two patients, apparently unrelated, showed an analogous pattern for two novel mutations, albeit with divergent frequencies. The coexistence of mixed viral populations, harbouring non-synonymous mutations in patients, supports the hypothesis of possible co-infection. Additional investigations of larger clinical cohorts are essential to validating intra-patient viral genome heterogeneity and determining the possibility of co-presence events of slightly divergent MPXV strains.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
19994915
Volume :
16
Issue :
5
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Viruses
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.ffd1f0d3978e4870a5a05b1e8f12fc38
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/v16050726