Comparative pathogenicity study of monkeypox virus Clade Ib and Clade IIb in a rabbit model.

Both Clade Ib and Clade IIb monkeypox virus variants cause similar skin and testicular lesions in a rabbit model, with no significant difference in disease severity.

• Why it matters: Understanding the pathogenic differences between emerging monkeypox virus variants is crucial for developing effective countermeasures and managing public health risks.
• What they did: Researchers developed a rabbit model using intradermal and intravenous infection routes, observing lesion progression and viral excretion in tissues for both variants.
• The result: The findings demonstrate that the rabbit model reliably mimics key aspects of monkeypox infection, supporting its use in evaluating vaccines and treatments against diverse MPXV strains.