Indian scientists find new way to detect monkeypox virus

The monkeypox virus has created an atmosphere of fear in India many times, but now the Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research Institute here has invented a new method to detect it.

Monkeypox Virus: Researchers at JNCASR, the autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have discovered a new way to understand the virology of the monkeypox virus. This new research can help in developing tools to detect this deadly infection. In the last 3 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared monkeypox a global health emergency 2 times. In the global outbreak of 2024, the disease spread to about 15 countries in Africa and 3 countries outside Africa.

Monkeypox has spread fear

This outbreak has raised serious concerns about its spread worldwide, as the symptoms of this infection are not yet well understood. A comprehensive understanding of virology is most important, along with the rapid development of treatment strategies.

How will the virus be detected?

Researchers said, "MPV (monkeypox virus) is a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) virus. Detection of extracellular viral protein gene via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a comprehensive technique for identification of MPV."

Currently, the diagnosis is done through PCR, which depends on amplification of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), which also uses fluorescent assays to measure it. The team identified and characterized highly conserved GQs with four strands of abnormal and distinct DNA structures inside the MPV genome. They specifically detected a specific GQ sequence using a special fluorescent small-molecule probe, which made it easier to accurately detect the monkeypox virus.

Their fluorogenic molecular probe showed more than 250-fold increase in fluorescence output with MPV GQS (MP2). Additional mapping of the monkeypox virus genome is being done to identify potential GQ targets for future therapies. This research increases the possibility of developing potential detection platforms based on GQ, and the identified GQs can be further investigated for their anti-viral properties.