The three common antiviral drugs used to treat monkeypox also appear to be effective against those responsible for the recent outbreak.

This is suggested by a study by researchers from the Universities of Frankfurt and Kent, which the Goethe University reported on Friday.

The team, led by Jindrich Cinatl and Martin Michaelis, isolated viruses from twelve monkeypox patients.

In cultures of skin cells, the scientists tested how the pathogens reacted to the currently available active ingredients tecovirimat, cidofovir and brincidofovir.

Sasha Zoske

Sheet maker in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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All twelve isolates were shown to respond to treatment with clinically achievable concentrations of the three drugs.

"We were really concerned that the virus might have evolved in a way that made it resistant to current therapies," said Cinatl.

"Fortunately, that's not the case."

His colleague Michaelis added: "These results are very reassuring and give reason to believe that the available antiviral therapies will continue to be effective against monkeypox in the current outbreak."

About three percent of those infected die

In May 2022, a major outbreak of monkeypox was observed outside of Africa for the first time.

So far, the viruses have been detected in more than 100 countries;

the World Health Organization declared it a "public health emergency of international concern".

According to the University of Frankfurt, the death rate from such an infection is currently around three percent;

about ten percent of the patients have to be treated in the hospital.

Small children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk.

Monkeypox used to only occur in certain parts of Africa, where humans contracted it through contact with rodents.

Human-to-human transmission has now been observed, and the symptoms of the disease also differed from those seen in previous outbreaks.

It was therefore feared that the virus could have mutated in such a way that it could no longer be combated with the usual means.

The monkeypox virus, also called Mpox virus, is closely related to the causative agent of smallpox (variola).

This very dangerous disease with a mortality rate of 30 percent has been thought to have been eradicated since the late 1970s thanks to vaccination.