Monkeypox may not mutate as fast as coronaviruses, but that doesn't mean it can't adapt to its new hosts

By Connor Bamford, Research Fellow, Virology, Queen's University Belfast

The recent outbreak of monkeypox virus has called into question the capabilities of these kinds large DNA viruses to evolve, adapt and change their biology.

Compared with small RNA viruses such as coronavirus, monkeypox virus and other large DNA viruses are thought to evolve slowly. Yet there’s clear evidence that this really isn’t a hindrance to these viruses. In fact, they can adapt to new environments like us.

Although most infections remain mild, monkeypox can be a

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