Researchers from Nigeria’s Institute of Human Virology, with collaborators including the University of Cambridge, published findings in Nature Communications. They analysed 176 archived blood samples from healthy adults who had taken part in SARS-CoV-2 vaccine studies. Samples were from healthcare workers in 2021 and community volunteers in 2023.
None of the adults had received mpox or smallpox vaccination in adulthood, and none were known to have been exposed to mpox. Results showed 14 per cent retained antibodies linked to historic smallpox vaccination, concentrated among people born before 1980. In follow-up samples, typically taken after around nine months, about 3 per cent showed a new immune response consistent with recent mpox exposure, yet these people had no recorded diagnosis or reported symptoms.
The team also analysed over 100 mpox genomes from across Nigeria. The genetic data suggest ongoing but constrained, low-level circulation. The authors say antibody-based surveillance could reveal hidden transmission and help target vaccination efforts.
Difficult words
- archive — to store documents or data for later usearchived
- antibody — protein the body makes to fight infectionsantibodies
- exposure — contact with a disease or risk
- immune response — body's reaction to infection or vaccine
- genome — complete genetic material of an organismgenomes
- surveillance — watching for disease in a population
- transmission — spread of a disease between people
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think antibodies were concentrated among people born before 1980?
- How could antibody-based surveillance be useful in your community to control diseases?
- What concerns might arise if people show immune responses but have no recorded diagnosis or symptoms?
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