Mapping global zoonotic niche and interregional transmission risk of monkeypox: a retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Outbreaks of monkeypox have been ongoing in non-endemic countries since May 2022. A thorough assessment of its global zoonotic niche and potential transmission risk is lacking. METHODS: We established an integrated database on global monkeypox virus (MPXV) occurrence during 1958 - 2022. Phylogenetic analysis was performed to examine the evolution of MPXV and effective reproductive number (Rt) was estimated over time to examine the dynamic of MPXV transmissibility. The potential ecological drivers of zoonotic transmission and inter-regional transmission risks of MPXV were examined. RESULTS: As of 24 July 2022, a total of 49 432 human patients with MPXV infections have been reported in 78 countries. Based on 525 whole genome sequences, two main clades of MPXV were formed, of which Congo Basin clade has a higher transmissibility than West African clade before the 2022-monkeypox, estimated by the overall Rt (0.81 vs. 0.56), and the latter significantly increased in the recent decade. Rt of 2022-monkeypox varied from 1.14 to 4.24 among the 15 continuously epidemic countries outside Africa, with the top three as Peru (4.24, 95% CI: 2.89-6.71), Brazil (3.45, 95% CI: 1.62-7.00) and the United States (2.44, 95% CI: 1.62-3.60). The zoonotic niche of MPXV was associated with the distributions of Graphiurus lorraineus and Graphiurus crassicaudatus, the richness of Rodentia, and four ecoclimatic indicators. Besides endemic areas in Africa, more areas of South America, the Caribbean States, and Southeast and South Asia are ecologically suitable for the occurrence of MPXV once the virus has invaded. Most of Western Europe has a high-imported risk of monkeypox from Western Africa, whereas France and the United Kingdom have a potential imported risk of Congo Basin clade MPXV from Central Africa. Eleven of the top 15 countries with a high risk of MPXV importation from the main countries of 2022-monkeypox outbreaks are located at Europe with the highest risk in Italy, Ireland and Poland. CONCLUSIONS: The suitable ecological niche for MPXV is not limited to Africa, and the transmissibility of MPXV was significantly increased during the 2022-monkeypox outbreaks. The imported risk is higher in Europe, both from endemic areas and currently epidemic countries. Future surveillance and targeted intervention programs are needed in its high-risk areas informed by updated prediction.

IGF2 expression in blood is not associated with its imprinting status in healthy pregnant Chinese women.

Loss of Imprinting (LOI) of IGF2 and over-expressed IGF2 are associated with tumorigenesis. Our previous epidemiological study found a relatively high frequency of IGF2 LOI in healthy mid-gestation pregnant women. The aim of this study is to determine whether the expression of IGF2 is associated with its imprinting status in healthy Chinese pregnant women. The IGF2 imprinting status of 300 pregnant women was analyzed. 20 cases of IGF2 LOI and 20 cases of IGF2 retention of imprinting (ROI) were selected randomly for IGF2 expression analysis. The expression pattern of IGF2 between the group with IGF2 ROI and group with IGF2 LOI in healthy Chinese pregnant women was evaluated by real time PCR and western blot. The result showed no significant differences between IGF2 ROI and LOI groups in mRNA and protein levels. These results imply that IGF2 imprinting status has no obvious impact on its expression. There may be some unknown important factors other than imprinting status driving IGF2 expression.

IGF2 expression in blood is not associated with its imprinting status in healthy pregnant Chinese women

Loss of Imprinting (LOI) of IGF2 and over-expressed IGF2 are associated with tumorigenesis. Our previous epidemiological study found a relatively high frequency of IGF2 LOI in healthy mid-gestation pregnant women. The aim of this study is to determine whether the expression of IGF2 is associated with its imprinting status in healthy Chinese pregnant women. The IGF2 imprinting status of 300 pregnant women was analyzed. 20 cases of IGF2 LOI and 20 cases of IGF2 retention of imprinting (ROI) were selected randomly for IGF2 expression analysis. The expression pattern of IGF2 between the group with IGF2 ROI and group with IGF2 LOI in healthy Chinese pregnant women was evaluated by real time PCR and western blot. The result showed no significant differences between IGF2 ROI and LOI groups in mRNA and protein levels. These results imply that IGF2 imprinting status has no obvious impact on its expression. There may be some unknown important factors other than imprinting status driving IGF2 expression.