3. Mpox Virus Classification
The Orthopoxvirus (OPXV) genus of the Poxviridae family contains the Mpox virus, Poxviruses are enclosed big viruses. 200 kilobase pairs of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) that are heavily loaded with 200 genes make up their genome19,20. Around half of the genes are well-evolved in vertebrate poxviruses and required for viral replication, while the other half are referred to as ”accessory” genes that are mostly involved in virus and host interactions and may not be necessary for viral replication independently 21.
Many poxviruses infect most invertebrates and vertebrates, affecting a wide range of veterinary and human disorders. The two subfamilies that make up the Poxviridae family are Entomopoxvirinae, which infects insects, and Chordopoxvirinae, which infects vertebrates. One of the 11 genera that make up the subfamily Chordopoxvirinae is OPV(Table 1) . All OPV species are categorised as zoonotic viruses since they all have animal reservoirs except the variola virus, which only affects humans 22,23.