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bioRxiv · 10.64898/2025.12.09.693236

Lower pathogenicity but similar genital shedding of monkeypox virus clade Ib compared to clade Ia in a rodent model

Kaiser, F. K.·Gallogly, S.·Mukesh, R.·Ochwoto, M.·Yinda, K. C.·van Tol, S.·Schulz, J.·Hawes, K.·Bulloch, B.·McBain, A.·Bushmaker, T.·Okumura, A.·Prado-Smith, J.·Smith, B.·Rosenke, K.·Saturday, G.·Munster, V.
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Abstract

We compared clinical disease, virus shedding and dissemination following genital MPXV clade Ia and Ib infections in Mastomys natalensis. MPXV clade Ib resulted in a milder clinical disease but a similar shedding profile to clade Ia. These findings indicate a prolonged pre-symptomatic or prodromal shedding period in clade Ib infections.

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Kaiser, F. K., Gallogly, S., Mukesh, R., Ochwoto, M., Yinda, K. C., van Tol, S., Schulz, J., Hawes, K., Bulloch, B., McBain, A., Bushmaker, T., Okumura, A., Prado-Smith, J., Smith, B., Rosenke, K., Saturday, G., Munster, V.. 2025-12-09. Lower pathogenicity but similar genital shedding of monkeypox virus clade Ib compared to clade Ia in a rodent model. https://doi.org/10.64898/2025.12.09.693236

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