Viral genetic clustering and transmission dynamics of the 2022 mpox outbreak in Portugal
Nature Medicine·
- DOI
- 10.1038/s41591-023-02542-x
- PMID
- 37696933
- PMCID
- PMC10579057
- OpenAlex
- W4386609550
- Study type
- Genomic study
- Publisher
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
The abstract presents genomic epidemiology as a potential tool for monitoring and controlling mpox outbreaks in real time. It also states that the findings may inform future vaccine policy for a population described as highly susceptible; this is an article-level implication rather than clinical or policy advice.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
The study examined early viral spread, diversification, and transmission patterns during the 2022 mpox outbreak in Portugal by combining viral genomic and epidemiological information.
Study design
This was a genomic epidemiology study using pathogen sequencing alongside epidemiological data. Viral genomes were obtained from 52% of confirmed cases in Portugal and compared with a global context.
Population and setting
The setting was the 2022 mpox outbreak in Portugal. The analysis included confirmed cases with available sequencing data and estimated infection levels among men who have sex with men in Portugal.
Main findings
The analysis identified sublineages associated with the largest case numbers and reported that several international sublineages probably emerged or spread early in Portugal. The authors estimated a 62% infection reporting rate and infection of 1.3% of the men-who-have-sex-with-men population in Portugal, and inferred that sexual networks and superspreader gatherings, including sauna attendance, contributed to dissemination.
Public-health relevance
The abstract presents genomic epidemiology as a potential tool for monitoring and controlling mpox outbreaks in real time. It also states that the findings may inform future vaccine policy for a population described as highly susceptible; this is an article-level implication rather than clinical or policy advice.
Important limitations
The abstract reports sequencing for 52% of confirmed cases, so the findings are based on a subset of cases rather than the full confirmed-case population. The summary is limited to the supplied single-article abstract and metadata; the original paper is required for decision-grade assessment of sampling, methods, uncertainty, and study limitations.
GIDS interpretation
The article is discoverable as evidence concerning mpox, Portugal, outbreak investigation, transmission dynamics, vaccination, genomic epidemiology, and health policy. It provides contextual evidence about the 2022 Portuguese outbreak and does not, by itself, confirm any live surveillance signal.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 14 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.