RAA combined with lateral flow strips. [IMAGE: IPS]

Researchers led by the teams of Emmanuel Nakouné from the Institut Pasteur de Bangui, Nicolas Berthet and Gary Wong from the Institut Pasteur of Shanghai (IPS) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have published an article in the journal Viruses entitled “Development and characterization of recombinase-based isothermal amplification assays (RPA/RAA) for the rapid detection of Monkeypox virus”, which describes the joint development of three rapid diagnostic tests for Monkeypox virus (MPXV) detection.

MPXV is a neglected tropical pathogen whose recent emergence has accelerated its study. In this context, Pasteur Network researchers have developed rapid MPXV diagnostic tests that can be viewed by the naked eye in less than 30 minutes and are as consistent as the current PCR-based nucleic acid test used for MPXV diagnosis. This new diagnostic tool will contribute to the control and prevention of MPXV epidemics.

In May 2022, outbreaks of MPXV were reported simultaneously in Europe, North America and South America, outside the virus-endemic regions of Africa. Pasteur Network researchers collaborated to develop and validate tests for the rapid detection of MPXV. These newly designed tests can produce reliable fluorescence or lateral flow results on a strip in 20 to 30 minutes.

The tests are based on isothermal amplification of a targeted region of the virus genome, and are based on recombinase with or without CRISPR/Cas12. The tests gave consistent results with the reference molecular test, quantitative PCR, for the 19 clinical samples used to validate the assay. In addition, the tests were specific and did not cross-react with other pox viruses, such as vaccinia.

MPXV, a neglected tropical pathogen, is closely related to smallpox, a disease that has been eradicated in humans since the 1980s. Although MPXV epidemics are regularly reported in Africa among the poorest communities, it remains understudied, even after the first MPXV epidemic was reported outside the endemic area in the USA during 2003. Rapid, sensitive and specific detection of MPXV is essential to inform health authorities of suspected cases as soon as possible, in order to monitor epidemic developments. These results therefore provide a point-of-care platform for the early diagnosis of potential MPXV cases, and will contribute to the prevention and control of current and future MPXV epidemics.

For more information, please contact:

Professor Gary Wong and Professor Nicolas Berthet

E-mail: garyckwong@ips.ac.cn and nicolas.berthet@ips.ac.cn

Institut Pasteur of Shanghai,

Chinese Academy of Sciences

Source: Institut Pasteur of Shanghai,

Chinese Academy of Sciences