“We should be careful not to create anxiety”
Virologist Åke Lundkvist (right) researches zoonoses – diseases that spread between humans and animals. Here he is seen in the lab with colleagues Tove Hoffman and Patrik Ellström. Photo: Mikael Wallerstedt
The risk of a pandemic spread of mpox in Sweden is very low, according to Åke Lundkvist, Professor of Virology. He recently attended the national virology symposium in Smögen and notes that the atmosphere was calm among the other virologists in attendance.
You attended the national ‘Summer Symposium on Virology’ last week. What are your takeaways in terms of mpox?
“Perhaps unexpectedly, there was very little mention of mpox and I think this may be related to two things. One is that the Public Health Agency of Sweden and not least their new state epidemiologist, Magnus Gisslén, who is very knowledgeable, have issued confident and reassuring messages. Secondly, there are no or very few virologists in Sweden who work specifically on poxviruses.”
How was the mood among your visitors and virologists at the summit, anxious or calm?
“I think most people there think much like me, that the risk of this exploding into some kind of pandemic is very small. And that is above all due to how this virus is transmitted. As we understand it, close contact is required to become infected. And unlike COVID-19 or the flu, for example, you don’t infect others before you get sick.”
Is it also a different type of virus than COVID-19, for example?
“Yes, the poxvirus is a DNA virus and much more stable than the viruses that cause COVID-19, influenza or hepatitis C which are all RNA viruses. RNA viruses mutate frequently and evolve rapidly. DNA viruses have a much more efficient mechanism to proofread and repair their genetic errors, making them more stable over time.”
Why is the new branch of mpox, clade 1, more dangerous than the one that spread in 2022?
“We do not yet know why there is a difference. So far, it has not been possible to identify any part of the genome that can be linked to a higher or lower virulence.”
How would you rate the media coverage of mpox?
“We should be careful not to create anxiety. The Public Health Agency of Sweden and the state epidemiologist have been very factual and reassuring in their communication. I would have liked to see more of that in the daily media too.”
How do you feel the global response has been?
“The WHO recently issued a statement on how to tackle the spread of the disease with an associated budget of USD 135 million, so a major effort is now being made to stop the spread in Central Africa. The WHO was criticised for being slow to act in the early stages of COVID-19. The scientific community, countries and the WHO seem to be acting much faster and more decisively now.”
Sandra Gunnarsson