The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in its recent study stated that the genome sequences covering 90-99 per cent of the genome from India were found to belong to the lineage of A.2 Clade IIb.
A complete genome sequence analysis of monkeypox cases from Kerala and Delhi was carried out from July to August 2022.
Dr. Pragya Yadav, Senior Scientist, ICMR-NIV, Pune, said, “The further A.2 lineage is changing and the sequence of affected countries holds the key to the evolution of monkeypox. A slow and fast warning for virologists and epidemiologists.”
“We analyzed complete genome sequences of monkeypox cases from Kerala (5 travelers from UAE) and Delhi (without any travel history), India confirmed during July to August 2022. All retrieved MPXV sequences from India were 90 to 99. Percentage cover the genome. They belong to the A.2 lineage of Clade IIb,” said the Yadav scientist.
The study further noted that the A.2 monkeypox lineage is divided into sub-lineages. A.2 The MPXV lineage is divided into three sub-groups.
“First cluster Kerala with number 5, Delhi with 2, USA-2022 aligns with ON674051.1; while the second cluster of Delhi n=3 aligns with USA-2022 ON675438.1 and the third is from UK, USA and Thailand The recent update in the MPXV lineage designated all five sequences from Kerala as A.2.1. In addition to the 16 known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) 13 with APOBEC3 cytosine deaminase activity specific lineage-defined mutations in the A.2 lineage, 25 Additional APOBEC3 mutations were found in 10 reported sequences,” read the study.
The study emphasizes the need for increased genomic surveillance to understand the mutation and its association.
“All the cases have been cured without complications except one case from Kerala, who succumbed to infection after acute onset encephalitis,” it said.
“MPXV sequences from India were grouped into two sub-clusters; 7 sequences (Kerala n=5, Delhi n=2) aligned with USA-2022 strain ON674051.1 and UK-2022 OP331335.1 forming the first cluster. In this sub The five sequences from the cluster, Kerala, were designated as A.2.1 on the basis of the lineage-defining mutations in C 25072 T, A 140492 C, C 179537 T. All three mutations in two sequences from Delhi. is therefore still defined in the A.2 lineage,” the study noted.
“However it was noted that 3 sequences from Delhi’s second sub-cluster lack the A.2.1 lineage-defined mutation; the USA-2022 strain is aligned with ON675438.1. The third sub-cluster contains the UK-2022 from OP331336.” The obtained MPXV sequences include . .1, USA-2021 ON676707.1 and three sequences from Thailand-2022,” the study further stated.
(with inputs from ANI)
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