Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41933173›Full record

ArticleNature medicine2026

Evidence of monkeypox virus clade IIb lineage A.2.2 in the Republic of the Congo and co-circulation of clade Ia, Ib and clade IIb.

Felix Koukouikila-Koussounda, Claude Kwe Yinda, Pembe Issamou Mayangue, Dachel Aymard Eyenet Boussam, Reiche Golmard Elenga, Leadisaelle Hosanna Lenguiya, Ghislain Dzeret Indolo, Bani Reize Vishnou Ampiri, Lucette Nathalie Macosso, Igor Judicaël Louzolo and 7 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. A comprehensive overview of monkeypox virus disease.Tropical medicine and health · 2026
    Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Felix Koukouikila-Koussounda *National Public Health Laboratory, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Claude Kwe Yinda *Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, MT, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5195-5478
Pembe Issamou MayangueNational Public Health Laboratory, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Dachel Aymard Eyenet BoussamNational Public Health Laboratory, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Reiche Golmard ElengaNational Public Health Laboratory, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Leadisaelle Hosanna LenguiyaNational Public Health Laboratory, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Ghislain Dzeret IndoloNational Public Health Laboratory, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Bani Reize Vishnou AmpiriNational Public Health Laboratory, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Lucette Nathalie MacossoNational Public Health Laboratory, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Igor Judicaël LouzoloNational Public Health Laboratory, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Isaac Samuel OnyakouangNational Public Health Laboratory, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Jordy Exaucé Lyelet DembouxNational Public Health Laboratory, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-4122-5541
Jean Medar KankouCenter for Public Health Emergency Operations, Ministry of Health and Population, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Aristide Gilbert NiangaDirectorate of Epidemiology and Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Population, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Avelin F AghokengResearch Institute for Development (RID), MIVEGEC, Montpellier, France.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1414-0237
Vincent Jacobus MunsterCenter for Public Health Emergency Operations, Ministry of Health and Population, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo. vincent.munster@nih.gov.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2288-3196
Fabien Roch NiamaNational Public Health Laboratory, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo. fabien.niama@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3843-9396

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

In 2022, monkeypox virus (MPXV) clade IIb emerged resulting in a global epidemic driven by human-to-human transmission, mostly through sexual contact mainly among the population of men who have sex with men. To date, published data on the circulation of MPXV clade IIb in the central African region are absent. Here we describe a case of laboratory-confirmed mpox clade IIb lineage A2.2 in Pointe-Noire, the second largest city of the Republic of the Congo. Whole-genome phylogenetic analysis placed the MPXV in clade IIb, lineage A.2.2 currently emerging in West Africa, in particular Sierra Leone. An additional 16 cases of clade Ia, 32 cases of clade Ib and one additional introduction of clade IIb were identified by passive surveillance in the Republic of the Congo in 2025. The detection of clade IIb mpox marks the third distinct MPXV clade and lineage co-circulating in the human population, together with clade Ia and Ib. This underscores the need for improved surveillance and diagnostic strategies to identify the respective clade and lineage circulating in the human population. Strengthening of regional capacity for case detection, contact-tracing, public health measures and affordable vaccines are urgently needed to reduce the global risk for both clade I and clade II MPXV.

Indexed as

Monkeypox virusMpox, MonkeypoxCongoGenome, ViralHumansMalePhylogeny

Identifiers

PMID41933173
PMCPMC13190315

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.