Evaluation of monkeypox disease progression by molecular imaging.
Infection of nonhuman primates (NHPs) with monkeypox virus (MPXV) is currently being developed as an animal model of variola infection in humans. We used positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) to identify inflammatory patterns as predictors for the outcome of MPXV disease in NHPs. Two NHPs were sublethally inoculated by the intravenous (IV) or intrabronchial (IB) routes and imaged sequentially using fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)FDG) uptake as a nonspecific marker of inflammation/immune activation. Inflammation was observed in the lungs of IB-infected NHPs, and bilobular involvement was associated with morbidity. Lymphadenopathy and immune activation in the axillary lymph nodes were evident in IV- and IB-infected NHPs. Interestingly, the surviving NHPs had significant (18)FDG uptake in the axillary lymph nodes at the time of MPXV challenge with no clinical signs of illness, suggesting an association between preexisting immune activation and survival. Molecular imaging identified patterns of inflammation/immune activation that may allow risk assessment of monkeypox disease.
Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Julie
J
Dyall
Reed F
RF
Johnson
Dar-Yeong
DY
Chen
Louis
L
Huzella
Dan R
DR
Ragland
Daniel J
DJ
Mollura
Russell
R
Byrum
Richard C
RC
Reba
Gerald
G
Jennings
Peter B
PB
Jahrling
Joseph E
JE
Blaney
Jason
J
Paragas
D000818:Animals; D001365:Axilla; D001980:Bronchi / Q000821:virology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008297:Male; D045908:Mpox, Monkeypox / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000276:immunology*; D008993:Monkeypox virus / Q000276:immunology*; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D009336:Necrosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000821:virology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18