Create reliable diagnostic tools with credible reference materials
Mpox (formerly monkeypox) is a rare zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus. This pathogen spreads through close contact with infected humans or animals and has a case fatality ratio that has historically ranged from 1 to 10%.
In recent months, monkeypox virus has spread to non-endemic countries where a large part of the population is vulnerable as the smallpox vaccine, which provides some protection against mpox, has been discontinued since the 1980s. To combat this outbreak, officials have recommended mpox vaccination in the early stages of the disease, which can help build immunity and reduce the severity of symptoms. Vaccination is also recommended for laboratory professionals who work with monkeypox virus and other orthopoxviruses. A vaccine approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2019 for preventing mpox is available in the United States for individuals with confirmed or presumed mpox exposure. To help mitigate the spread of the virus, distribution of the vaccine is prioritized toward regions with high case rates of mpox.
Because the vaccine is not consistently available across the country, accurate and rapid diagnosis of the disease will be critical for timely healthcare and tracking of transmission. To support the need for rapid diagnosis, ATCC provides a variety of orthopoxviruses and nucleic acids that support increased monitoring as well as assay development and validation, including a live virus, heat-inactivated virus, and genomic DNA for monkeypox virus strain hMPX/USA/MA001/2002. We also provide a research use only (RUO) quantitative synthetic monkeypox virus DNA preparation with a sequence design based on several published assays.
Guidance from the USDA is that all strains of Vaccinia virus require a VS 16-6A permit. Please refer to the USDA website for further information.
Mpox Cases Spread Undetected in Non-endemic Countries
Since the identification of the first human case of mpox in 1970, the monkeypox virus has become endemic to several countries in central and western Africa and has rarely been detected in humans in other regions of the world. But that may be changing. Recently, thousands of cases have been confirmed in other continents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is actively tracking cases and has reported confirmed mpox and Orthopoxvirus cases across over six continents.
Read the blog to learn more
Design your assay
ATCC’s collection includes a variety of live orthopoxviruses and nucleic acids that support mpox research efforts and assay development, including several strains recommended for exclusivity testing. We are also currently preparing additional genomic DNA products for distribution to our customers and plan to continue monitoring the outbreak carefully to ensure we have the products needed to support research efforts. Explore our recommended strains below to get started on developing your molecular diagnostic assay. Investigators are also encouraged to visit BEI Resources, an NIAID-funded program managed by ATCC, which offers a catalog of mpox and pox-related materials to qualified researchers.
Guidance from the USDA is that all strains of Vaccinia virus require a VS 16-6A permit. Please refer to the USDA website for further information.
Explore related resources
Molecular standards
The extraction, preparation, and verification of nucleic acids can often require extensive amounts of time, labor, and expense. ATCC has addressed this issue by developing convenient, easy-to-use, genomic and synthetic molecular standards for quantitative nucleic acid amplification applications. These highly validated process controls remove the burden of culture work, nucleic acid extraction, and quantitation.
Find molecular standards
Zoonotic diseases
The frequency of zoonotic disease transmission has been increasing over time—it is believed that as many as 3 out of every 4 new diseases in humans come from an animal source. As in our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will partner with the global research community to acquire, authenticate, maintain, and distribute the clinically relevant pathogens needed to respond to emerging zoonotic diseases.
Explore now
