Rapidly responding to the mpox health emergency

Recently, mpox was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by WHO and a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) by Africa CDC.

The spread of mpox poses a significant threat to global health and, with cases reported across multiple regions, timely and accurate surveillance is paramount. Effective virus surveillance is a cornerstone of global and domestic response efforts. By detecting the monkeypox virus in wastewater and other sources before it manifests clinically, public health authorities can act swiftly to contain outbreaks, strengthen national surveillance, and develop proactive response plans. This approach is crucial in mitigating the impact of mpox and safeguarding global public health.

Mpox detection and sequencing provides valuable data to inform public health responses and provide critical information on virus evolution, aiding the development of national containment strategies and potential countermeasure R&D and deployment.

Genomic sequencing is critical to identify characteristics such as increased pathogenicity, symptom severity, and therapeutic resistance. This is especially important in regard to vaccine design, as mpox has high morbidity and mortality potential, and sequencing data can inform vaccine updates or give early warnings of escape variants.

Ginkgo’s rapid enablement and support can strengthen a country’s response to the emergence of high-consequence pathogens.