Study decodes how Monkeypox virus infiltrates brain cells

Mpox Monkeypox virus may be infiltrating cells responsible for normal brain functioning causing neurological symptoms in people affected by the virus finds a studyMpox virus is transmitted primarily through close physical contact and causes a disease with symptoms similar to smallpox although less severeIn May of 2022 the virus saw a major outbreak spreading to more than 100 countries and causing over 86900 infections across the world Between January 1 2022 and November 30 2023 a total of 92783 laboratoryconfirmed cases of mpox including 171 deaths have been reported to the World Health Organization WHO from 116 countriesResearchers from the University of Alberta used laboratory experiments to infect human brain cells with the mpox virusIn a newly published research in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the team found mpox virus infiltrated the astrocytes a type of cell responsible for normal brain function triggering an extreme immune responseAstrocytes are the most abundant neural cells in the brain said first author Hajar Miranzadeh Mahabadi a postdoctoral fellow in medicine from the varsityWe found that monkeypox virus can efficiently infect these cells and can induce a kind of brain cell death we call pyroptosisThe virus is transmitted by skin or sexual contact or respiratory droplets and this outbreak has mainly affected men who have sex with menCommon symptoms include a rash fever and aching muscles but neurological symptoms such as headache mental confusion and seizures have increasingly been observed suggesting inflammation of brain tissueThe extent of monkeypox virus cases particularly those associated with neurological complications highlighted the urgent need to understand the potential effect of monkeypox virus in the central nervous system Mahabadi said noting this is the first study to examine brain cells exposed to mpox virusThe research team identified a potential avenue for treatment when they were able to reduce cell death in mpox virusinfected cells by treating them with dimethyl fumarate a compound approved in Europe for psoriasis and used to treat multiple sclerosis in the United States and CanadaThe researchers noted there are now two antiviral treatments approved for mpox disease and there is also a vaccine available in Canada for preventing disease in vulnerable populationsThe team plans to continue research on mpox and the brain and to examine why mpox disease seems to be more severe and has a higher mortality rate among people who also have HIVThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever