# Multiplex PCR to Differentiate Monkeypox Virus Clades

**Authors:** Christopher T. Williams, Alessandra Romero-Ramirez, Adeleye Adesola Semiu, Samuel Oluwafunmbi Ifabumuyi, Caitlin Greenland-Bews, Susan Gould, Dominic Wooding, Collette Allen, Anushri Somasundaran, Nicodemus Nnabuike Mkpuma, Dorcas Gado, Jolly Amoche Adole, Abdulakeem Eniola Amoo, Abisola Ajoke Adeyemi, Laure Bosquillon de Jarcy, Christine Goffinet, Jake Dunning, Malcolm G. Semple, Esto Bahizire, Afolabi Akinpelu, Thomas E. Fletcher, Ana I. Cubas-Atienzar, Cristina Leggio, Adeyinka Adedeji, Adesuyi A. Omoare, Thomas Edwards

PMC · DOI: 10.3201/eid3202.250686 · Emerging Infectious Diseases · 2026-02-01

## TL;DR

A new PCR test was developed to distinguish between monkeypox virus clades with high accuracy in clinical samples.

## Contribution

A novel multiplex quantitative PCR method was developed for differentiating monkeypox virus clades.

## Key findings

- The PCR test showed 78% sensitivity and 94% specificity for clinical samples.
- Sensitivity increased to 98% for samples with cycle thresholds below 35.
- The method was tested using clinical samples from the UK and Nigeria.

## Abstract

We designed a multiplex quantitative PCR to differentiate monkeypox virus clades. For clinical samples collected in the United Kingdom and Nigeria, sensitivity was 78% (95% CI 67.67%–86.14%) and specificity 94% (95% CI 80.84%–99.30%); for samples with cycle thresholds <35, sensitivity was 98% (95% CI 91.72%–99.96%) and specificity 94% (95% CI 80.84%–99.30%).

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** monkeypox (MONDO:0002594)

## Full-text entities

- **Species:** Monkeypox virus (no rank) [taxon 10244]

## Full text

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## Figures

1 figure with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12928233/full.md

## References

15 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12928233/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12928233