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The monkeypox virus, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus, was first identified in 1958 during an outbreak of a smallpox-like disease among cynomolgus monkeys in a laboratory in Copenhagen, Denmark. This initial discovery led to the naming of the virus as "monkeypox" due to its association with monkeys, although rodents are now recognized as the primary reservoir for the virus in the wild.
Monkeypox virus, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus within the Poxviridae family, is a double-stranded DNA virus that causes the zoonotic disease known as monkeypox. MPXV has two primary genetic clades, which represent the main genetic variants of the virus. These clades show differences in geographical distribution, virulence, and transmissibility.
| Clade | Geographical Location | Virulence | Transmission | Genetic Differences | Clinical Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central African (Congo Basin) Clade | Central Africa, especially DRC | More virulent, mortality up to 10% | Higher human-to-human transmission | Differs by 0.55% from West African clade, larger genome, unique mutations | More severe symptoms, greater lesion count, prolonged illness, frequent complications |
| West African Clade | West Africa (Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Côte d'Ivoire) | Less virulent, mortality 1-3% | Less efficient human-to-human transmission, mainly zoonotic | Key nucleotide substitutions, reduced virulence and transmissibility | Milder symptoms, fewer lesions, lower incidence of complications... |
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