Clade I mpox virus genomic diversity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018-2024: Predominance of zoonotic transmission

E Kinganda-Lusamaki; A Amuri-Aziza; N Fernandez-Nuñez; JC Makangara-Cigolo; C Pratt; EH Vakaniaki; NA Hoff; G Luakanda-Ndelemo; P Akil-Bandali; SS Nundu; N Mulopo-Mukanya; M Ngimba; B Modadra-Madakpa; R Diavita; P Paku-Tshambu; E Pukuta-Simbu; S Merritt; A O'Toole; N Low; A Nkuba-Ndaye; H Kavunga-Membo; RS Lushima; L Liesenborghs; T Wawina-Bokalanga; K Vercauteren; D Mukadi-Bamuleka; L Subissi; JJ Muyembe-Tamfum; J Kindrachuk; A Ayouba; A Rambaut; E Delaporte; S Tessema; E D'Ortenzio; AW Rimoin; LE Hensley; P Mbala-Kingebeni; M Peeters; S Ahuka-Mundeke

doi:10.1016/j.cell.2024.10.017

Clade I mpox virus genomic diversity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018-2024: Predominance of zoonotic transmission

E Kinganda-Lusamaki
, A Amuri-Aziza
, N Fernandez-Nuñez
, JC Makangara-Cigolo
, C Pratt
, EH Vakaniaki
, NA Hoff
, G Luakanda-Ndelemo
, P Akil-Bandali
, SS Nundu
, N Mulopo-Mukanya
, M Ngimba
, B Modadra-Madakpa
, R Diavita
, P Paku-Tshambu
, E Pukuta-Simbu
, S Merritt
, A O'Toole
, N Low
, A Nkuba-Ndaye

H Kavunga-Membo, RS Lushima, L Liesenborghs, T Wawina-Bokalanga, K Vercauteren, D Mukadi-Bamuleka, L Subissi, JJ Muyembe-Tamfum, J Kindrachuk, A Ayouba, A Rambaut, E Delaporte, S Tessema, E D'Ortenzio, AW Rimoin, LE Hensley, P Mbala-Kingebeni, M Peeters, S Ahuka-Mundeke

Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Peer-reviewed journal articles › peer-review

Abstract

Recent reports raise concerns on the changing epidemiology of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). High-quality genomes were generated for 337 patients from 14/26 provinces to document whether the increase in number of cases is due to zoonotic spillover events or viral evolution, with enrichment of APOBEC3 mutations linked to human adaptation. Our study highlights two patterns of transmission contributing to the source of human cases. All new sequences from the eastern South Kivu province (n = 17; 4.8%) corresponded to the recently described clade Ib, associated with sexual contact and sustained human-to-human transmission. By contrast, all other genomes are clade Ia, which exhibits high genetic diversity with low numbers of APOBEC3 mutations compared with clade Ib, suggesting multiple zoonotic introductions. The presence of multiple clade I variants in urban areas highlights the need for coordinated international response efforts and more studies on the transmission and the reservoir of mpox.

Original language	English
Journal	Cell
Volume	188
Issue number	1
Pages (from-to)	4-14.e6
Number of pages	18
ISSN	0092-8674
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2024.10.017
Publication status	Published - 9-Jan-2025

Keywords

APOBEC Deaminases/genetics
Adolescent
Adult
Animals
Child
Child, Preschool
Democratic Republic of the Congo/epidemiology
Female
Genetic Variation
Genome, Viral/genetics
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Monkeypox virus/genetics
Mpox (monkeypox)/transmission
Mutation
Phylogeny
Young Adult
Zoonoses/transmission

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10.1016/j.cell.2024.10.017Licence: CC BY-NC

Cite this

Kinganda-Lusamaki, E., Amuri-Aziza, A., Fernandez-Nuñez, N., Makangara-Cigolo, JC., Pratt, C., Vakaniaki, EH., Hoff, NA., Luakanda-Ndelemo, G., Akil-Bandali, P., Nundu, SS., Mulopo-Mukanya, N., Ngimba, M., Modadra-Madakpa, B., Diavita, R., Paku-Tshambu, P., Pukuta-Simbu, E., Merritt, S., O'Toole, A., Low, N., ... Ahuka-Mundeke, S. (2025). Clade I mpox virus genomic diversity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018-2024: Predominance of zoonotic transmission. Cell, 188(1), 4-14.e6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2024.10.017

@article{258d2f20ed1f4f84bcedc7338ff8054b,

title = "Clade I mpox virus genomic diversity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018-2024: Predominance of zoonotic transmission",

abstract = "Recent reports raise concerns on the changing epidemiology of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). High-quality genomes were generated for 337 patients from 14/26 provinces to document whether the increase in number of cases is due to zoonotic spillover events or viral evolution, with enrichment of APOBEC3 mutations linked to human adaptation. Our study highlights two patterns of transmission contributing to the source of human cases. All new sequences from the eastern South Kivu province (n = 17; 4.8\%) corresponded to the recently described clade Ib, associated with sexual contact and sustained human-to-human transmission. By contrast, all other genomes are clade Ia, which exhibits high genetic diversity with low numbers of APOBEC3 mutations compared with clade Ib, suggesting multiple zoonotic introductions. The presence of multiple clade I variants in urban areas highlights the need for coordinated international response efforts and more studies on the transmission and the reservoir of mpox. ",

keywords = "APOBEC Deaminases/genetics, Adolescent, Adult, Animals, Child, Child, Preschool, Democratic Republic of the Congo/epidemiology, Female, Genetic Variation, Genome, Viral/genetics, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Monkeypox virus/genetics, Mpox (monkeypox)/transmission, Mutation, Phylogeny, Young Adult, Zoonoses/transmission",

author = "E Kinganda-Lusamaki and A Amuri-Aziza and N Fernandez-Nu{\~n}ez and JC Makangara-Cigolo and C Pratt and EH Vakaniaki and NA Hoff and G Luakanda-Ndelemo and P Akil-Bandali and SS Nundu and N Mulopo-Mukanya and M Ngimba and B Modadra-Madakpa and R Diavita and P Paku-Tshambu and E Pukuta-Simbu and S Merritt and A O'Toole and N Low and A Nkuba-Ndaye and H Kavunga-Membo and RS Lushima and L Liesenborghs and T Wawina-Bokalanga and K Vercauteren and D Mukadi-Bamuleka and L Subissi and JJ Muyembe-Tamfum and J Kindrachuk and A Ayouba and A Rambaut and E Delaporte and S Tessema and E D'Ortenzio and AW Rimoin and LE Hensley and P Mbala-Kingebeni and M Peeters and S Ahuka-Mundeke",

note = "FTX; CC BY-NC",

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doi = "10.1016/j.cell.2024.10.017",

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Kinganda-Lusamaki, E, Amuri-Aziza, A, Fernandez-Nuñez, N, Makangara-Cigolo, JC, Pratt, C, Vakaniaki, EH, Hoff, NA, Luakanda-Ndelemo, G, Akil-Bandali, P, Nundu, SS, Mulopo-Mukanya, N, Ngimba, M, Modadra-Madakpa, B, Diavita, R, Paku-Tshambu, P, Pukuta-Simbu, E, Merritt, S, O'Toole, A, Low, N, Nkuba-Ndaye, A, Kavunga-Membo, H, Lushima, RS, Liesenborghs, L , Wawina-Bokalanga, T , Vercauteren, K, Mukadi-Bamuleka, D, Subissi, L, Muyembe-Tamfum, JJ, Kindrachuk, J, Ayouba, A, Rambaut, A, Delaporte, E, Tessema, S, D'Ortenzio, E, Rimoin, AW, Hensley, LE, Mbala-Kingebeni, P, Peeters, M & Ahuka-Mundeke, S 2025, 'Clade I mpox virus genomic diversity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018-2024: Predominance of zoonotic transmission', Cell, vol. 188, no. 1, pp. 4-14.e6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2024.10.017

TY - JOUR

T1 - Clade I mpox virus genomic diversity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018-2024: Predominance of zoonotic transmission

AU - Kinganda-Lusamaki, E

AU - Amuri-Aziza, A

AU - Fernandez-Nuñez, N

AU - Makangara-Cigolo, JC

AU - Pratt, C

AU - Vakaniaki, EH

AU - Hoff, NA

AU - Luakanda-Ndelemo, G

AU - Akil-Bandali, P

AU - Nundu, SS

AU - Mulopo-Mukanya, N

AU - Ngimba, M

AU - Modadra-Madakpa, B

AU - Diavita, R

AU - Paku-Tshambu, P

AU - Pukuta-Simbu, E

AU - Merritt, S

AU - O'Toole, A

AU - Low, N

AU - Nkuba-Ndaye, A

AU - Kavunga-Membo, H

AU - Lushima, RS

AU - Liesenborghs, L

AU - Wawina-Bokalanga, T

AU - Vercauteren, K

AU - Mukadi-Bamuleka, D

AU - Subissi, L

AU - Muyembe-Tamfum, JJ

AU - Kindrachuk, J

AU - Ayouba, A

AU - Rambaut, A

AU - Delaporte, E

AU - Tessema, S

AU - D'Ortenzio, E

AU - Rimoin, AW

AU - Hensley, LE

AU - Mbala-Kingebeni, P

AU - Peeters, M

AU - Ahuka-Mundeke, S

N1 - FTX; CC BY-NC

PY - 2025/1/9

Y1 - 2025/1/9

N2 - Recent reports raise concerns on the changing epidemiology of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). High-quality genomes were generated for 337 patients from 14/26 provinces to document whether the increase in number of cases is due to zoonotic spillover events or viral evolution, with enrichment of APOBEC3 mutations linked to human adaptation. Our study highlights two patterns of transmission contributing to the source of human cases. All new sequences from the eastern South Kivu province (n = 17; 4.8%) corresponded to the recently described clade Ib, associated with sexual contact and sustained human-to-human transmission. By contrast, all other genomes are clade Ia, which exhibits high genetic diversity with low numbers of APOBEC3 mutations compared with clade Ib, suggesting multiple zoonotic introductions. The presence of multiple clade I variants in urban areas highlights the need for coordinated international response efforts and more studies on the transmission and the reservoir of mpox.

AB - Recent reports raise concerns on the changing epidemiology of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). High-quality genomes were generated for 337 patients from 14/26 provinces to document whether the increase in number of cases is due to zoonotic spillover events or viral evolution, with enrichment of APOBEC3 mutations linked to human adaptation. Our study highlights two patterns of transmission contributing to the source of human cases. All new sequences from the eastern South Kivu province (n = 17; 4.8%) corresponded to the recently described clade Ib, associated with sexual contact and sustained human-to-human transmission. By contrast, all other genomes are clade Ia, which exhibits high genetic diversity with low numbers of APOBEC3 mutations compared with clade Ib, suggesting multiple zoonotic introductions. The presence of multiple clade I variants in urban areas highlights the need for coordinated international response efforts and more studies on the transmission and the reservoir of mpox.

KW - APOBEC Deaminases/genetics

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Animals

KW - Child

KW - Child, Preschool

KW - Democratic Republic of the Congo/epidemiology

KW - Female

KW - Genetic Variation

KW - Genome, Viral/genetics

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Monkeypox virus/genetics

KW - Mpox (monkeypox)/transmission

KW - Mutation

KW - Phylogeny

KW - Young Adult

KW - Zoonoses/transmission

UR - https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=itm_wosliteitg&SrcAuth=WosAPI&KeyUT=WOS:001410562600001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=WOS_CPL

U2 - 10.1016/j.cell.2024.10.017

DO - 10.1016/j.cell.2024.10.017

M3 - A1: Peer-reviewed journal articles

C2 - 39454573

SN - 0092-8674

VL - 188

SP - 4-14.e6

JO - Cell

JF - Cell

IS - 1

ER -

Clade I mpox virus genomic diversity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018-2024: Predominance of zoonotic transmission

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

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FWO MPX: Op zoek naar het mechanisme achter Monkeypox virus transmissie: een multidisciplinaire 'one health' studie over een opkomende zoönose

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Clade I mpox virus genomic diversity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018-2024: Predominance of zoonotic transmission

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

FWO MPX: Op zoek naar het mechanisme achter Monkeypox virus transmissie: een multidisciplinaire 'one health' studie over een opkomende zoönose

Cite this