Mpox virus can also infect the brain, say Swiss scientists

The Mpox virus can also infect the human brain and damage brain cells. In view of the recent worldwide increase in Mpox cases, these new findings are of great importance, according to the University of Bern. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox This is not only for virology and neurobiology, but also from a public health perspective, the university and the Institute of Virology and Immunology (IVI) wrote in a press release on Monday. The disease Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, has spread rapidly in many countries in recent years. The disease is often mild, with flu-like symptoms and a rash. However, serious complications can also occur, as the university emphasised. Around 3% of all people infected with the Mpox virus (MPXV) between 1985 and 2021 developed neurological symptoms such as seizures or encephalitis. Some cases were fatal. +US withdrawal from WHO puts global health in jeopardy Impact on nervous system little studied Nevertheless, the extent to ...