Effect of Monkeypox Virus Preparation on the Lethality of the Intravenous Cynomolgus Macaque Model

For over two decades, researchers have sought to improve smallpox vaccines and also develop therapies to ensure protection against smallpox or smallpox-like disease. The 2022 human monkeypox pandemic is a reminder that these efforts should persist. Advancing such therapies have involved animal models primarily using surrogate viruses such as monkeypox virus. The intravenous monkeypox model in macaques produces a disease that is clinically similar to the lesional phase of fulminant human monkeypox or smallpox. Two criticisms of the model have been the unnatural route of virus administration and the high dose required to induce severe disease. Here, we purified monkeypox virus with the goal of lowering the challenge dose by removing cellular and viral contaminants within the inoculum. We found that there are advantages to using unpurified material for intravenous exposures.

Automated summary

Researchers have been working for over two decades to improve smallpox vaccines and develop therapies for smallpox or similar diseases. The use of animal models, such as macaques infected with monkeypox virus, has been crucial in advancing these therapies. However, there have been criticisms regarding the administration method and dosage used in these models.