Tecovirimat Resistance in Mpox Patients, United States, 2022-2023.

ABSTRACT: During the 2022 multinational outbreak of monkeypox virus (MPXV) infection, the antiviral drug tecovirimat (TPOXX; SIGA Technologies, Inc., https://www.siga.com) was deployed in the United States on a large scale for the first time. The MPXV F13L gene homologue encodes the target of tecovirimat, and single amino acid changes in F13 are known to cause resistance to tecovirimat. Genomic sequencing identified 11 mutations previously reported to cause resistance, along with 13 novel mutations. Resistant phenotype was determined using a viral cytopathic effect assay. We tested 124 isolates from 68 patients; 96 isolates from 46 patients were found to have a resistant phenotype. Most resistant isolates were associated with severely immunocompromised mpox patients on multiple courses of tecovirima

SUBMITTER: Smith TG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10683829 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature