The viral zoonosis infection, Monkeypox, is slowly spreading across India and so far, the country has reported 9 cases and 1 death. The Centre has stepped up vigil and issued revised guidelines. The Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology on Friday analysed two monkeypox cases of travellers who had returned from the UAE.
The analysis showed that two cases were infected with monkeypox virus strain A.2 which is related to the lineage of hMPXV-1A clade 3.
“The complete genome sequences obtained from skin lesions of cases 1 and 2 showed similarity of 99.91 and 99.96 per cent respectively with MPXV_USA_2022_FL001 West African clade,” read the ICMR-NIV study.
“Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the two cases were infected with Monkeypox virus strain A.2 which belong to hMPXV-1A lineage of clade 3,” it added.
The study also mentioned the details of both cases where a 35-year-old male and 31-year-old male from UAE tested positive for Monkeypox. Both cases had no traces of sexual contact.
The background of the first male revealed a history of similar lesions amongst his friends and contact with a suspected Monkeypox case.
Symptoms of Monkeypox A.2 Strain
The foreign returnees from the United Arab Emirates presented with fever, myalgia, and vesicular lesions on the genital area with cervical lymphadenopathy. The oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal swabs, EDTA blood, serum, urine, and lesion samples from multiple sites were collected from both cases on the ninth post-onset day of illness.
“Case 1, a 35-year, male, resident of UAE had developed low-grade fever and myalgia on July 5 2022. On the next day, he developed multiple vesicular rashes in the oral cavity and lips followed by a single lesion on the genital organ. The lesions were umbilicated with the size 0.5 to 0.8 cm,” the study explained the history of the first case.
Another case of a 32-year-old male from Dubai, UAE travelled to his hometown Kerala on July 13, 2022, and tested positive for Monkeypox.
“A 31-year male in Dubai, UAE had developed dysuria and genital swelling on July 8, 2022. On the next day, he developed fever with chills, myalgia, backache, and headache,” the study stated.
As per the research, he developed multiple vesicular rashes on the genital organ and on both hands-on July 10, 2022. The lesions progressed and later spread to the face, back, neck and forearm with cervical lymphadenopathy by July 15, 2022.
“He did not have any co-morbidity and denied any sexual or physical contact with suspected or confirmed MPXV case,” it added.
How is the A.2 strain different from B.1 Strain?
The A.2 strain has been detected in two travellers who had returned from UAE and this strain was detected in the US last year and has not been linked to major clusters. The current outbreak is being driven by the B.1 strain of monkeypox virus.
On July 23, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern considering the global outbreaks in all six regions in multiple countries.
